Sikandar Noorani
RECENT decision of the government to ini
tiate construction work at Diamir-Bhasha
Dam is a much awaited right step to obtain self-sufficiency in energy sector. It is a well-established fact that costly power deals and water scarcity have played a basic role in breaking the back bone of national economy. Nation cannot afford politics play on such sensitive national projects and all quarters of the society need to be fully geared up to accomplish this project under a well-conceived joint strategy. Costly electricity, provided by IPPs, subsequently increases the overall price of our products and thus leaves no margin to compete in international markets. Water scarcity is nothing less than death to our agrarian economy. Archrival India is actively pursuing multiple projects to cut short the water supply of Pakistan with an obvious aim to destroy the agrarian economy. This hydro terrorism emerging from New Delhi will further deepen the Indo-Pak bilateral conflicts. Regional peace gets alarmingly endangered when Indian PM, leading 1.53 billion population, openly threatens to block the water flow and force Pak masses to beg for a drop. Think Tanks patronized by RSS, the mother organization of Indian ruling party BJP, are seriously burning their mid-night oil to finish the Indus Water Treaty primarily to use water as a weapon of coercion against Pakistan. Indian financial aid construct half a dozen dams in Afghanistan at River Kabul and plans to build multiple water storage facilities in disputed areas of Siachin are all poised to create unmanageable serious water scarcity in Pakistan. Like many other fields, unfortunately traditional negligent response, by ruling elite and rusty bureaucracy, to this serious threat has seriously affected the national interests.
While the enemy was conspiring to cut economic jugular vein of Pakistan, our short sighted past rulers were dreaming to build durable friendly ties with RSS’ extremist ideologues. We need a serious introspection to analyze the real causes of extra-ordinary postponement of Kalabagh Dam project! Unclear hypocritical stance of our mainstream political parties provided undue manipulating space to so-called linguistic groups. Whenever a call was made to accelerate on Kalabagh Dam project, rootless flag bearers of Sindhi and Pashtun rights jumped in to spoil the environment for greater national consensus. Dirty weapon of linguistic hatred and prejudice was applied to make the mega water storage project controversial. Cunning and unwise pressure group leaders took the matter in their hands by twisting public opinion against the dam and thus left no room for professional experts to evaluate the project unbiasedly.
Surprisingly, all the opponents of Kalabagh Dam are those quarters who always criticize two nation theory, oppose creation of Pakistan and well-known for their tilt in favour of Indian side. Critics of Kalabagh Dam have never objected upon construction of multiple dams on Indian side. None of these so-called activists have ever warned Sindhi and Pushtun masses about upcoming water shortage due to Indian Hydro Terrorism against Pakistan. Undoubtedly, linguistic pressure groups served the purpose of New Delhi by spreading disunity over the issue of dams. Present government has accepted a big challenge by giving a firm call to initiate construction work on Diamir-Bhasha Dam. Indian backed anti-forces are already back in the field with old venomous tricks and twists to sabotage the project. Approximately eight years back, India launched active campaign against this project by calling its site a disputed territory. Basing upon this propagation main financers, World Bank and Asian Development Bank, backed out from this project and demanded Indian NOC.
Nation is paying the price of rulers’ negligent approach! In the past Chairman WAPDA informed the parliamentary committee about terrorists’ attacks on officials deputed at Dam site. PM should personally supervise and monitor various phases of construction to negotiate the complex hurdles in completion of mega project. Beyond the construction of a Dam, this project is actually a war to beat the Indian sponsored terrorism, conspiracies and cunning propaganda through hired puppets. Recently, India has furthered her aggressive posturing by adding weather report of AJ&K and GB in news bulletin. There was an objection from India on conduct of elections in GB. It is not hard to predict that India would go all out to fail the Diamir-Bhasha Dam project by applying old tricks. All projects having potential to strengthen Pak economy are on the hit list of Modi regime. Pakistan should ensure acceleration on war footings to expeditiously accomplish all sensitive projects with zero tolerance towards spoilers. Flawed past policy of meaningful silence and shameful stereo type low profile response ultimately invited India to adopt more nasty behaviour against Pakistan on all fronts. Initiating violence against neighbours should be avoided at all cost but accepting naked aggression of archrival enemy like India is criminal. A well-calibrated and timely jaw breaking reply is the only unavoidable solution to harness the devilish intents of a terrorist state.
—The writer is a free lancer who often contributes in national newspapers.
