THIS refers to the letter ‘Energy crisis and Kalabagh Dam’ (May 9).

Dr M. Yaqoob Bhatti rightly says that it holds key to progress in Pakistan. God knows how many millions we have already spent (wasted) on its feasibility study, but to no avail. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa says it will drown Nowshera, while Sindh says it will dry out the downstream Sindh river.

This is an engineering project based on scientific analysis, yet it couldn’t be sold to the two provinces. There are reports that the opposition is prompted by India and our obdurate politicians are not sincere in opposing it.

Although seemingly improbable, these reports get some credence when attention was shifted to he Bhasha Dam, a less advantageous project because of hilly terrain, only to be objected by India, being located in a ‘disputed’ territory.

India by distorting the spirit of the Indus Basin Treaty goes on building dams on the rivers that belong to Pakistan, making itself self-sufficient both in water and electricity at our expense.

Pakistan is exposed to double whammy, suffer water shortage as well as power supply, which adversely affect both our agriculture and industry. There is no substitute of water and we don’t have sufficient money to buy fuel to generate thermal power. How can we progress? Rental power and small dams are no answer.

When our leaders will grow up and rise above provincialism and think about Pakistan. Perhaps the gentleman from Mianwali might be able to convince all concerned Kalabagh Dam which happens to be in Mianwali is in everybody’s interest.

SMAKarachi