Speaking at the event on Democracy and Inclusion at Jinnah Institute, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman cautioned against absolute water scarcity by 2025, which will hit hard women and other marginalised groups. People have been hearing about this looming threat from the senior leaders of PML-N and PPP for the past few years. But all previous governments of these two mainstream political parties had not worked out plans to be implemented for water conservation by constructing big and small storage dams.
The per capita water availability has reduced from 5000 cubic meter to 100 cubic meters during the past 50 years. Of 10 percent available quantity, substantial amount of water is wasted during industrial and commercial use. Water conservation in storage dams keeps the underground water table at optimum level. The project of Kalabagh dam was conceived to be launched in the third five year plan after the completion of Tarbella dam. But in Z.A Bhutto government five year planning was abandoned and the project went to the backburner. It was brought to the front burner in early 80s but was made politically controversial by the leadership of PPP and ANP. Anti-Kalabagh dam stance was one of the main themes of Benazir Bhutto speeches at public meetings in her first election campaign in 1988. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had least interest in water conservation and construction of storage dams. Ironically, the leaders of PPP and PML-N ridiculed in their statements the fund raising campaign of former Chief Justice of Pakistan MianSaqibNisar for Mohamand and Basha dams. Construction work on Mohmand dam has started and funding for the foreign exchange component of Diyamer Bash dam is being sought far. Mere rhetoric cannot erase the bitter facts of neglecting water conservation by past government from the memory of people.
