Kalabagh dam: LHC ruling akin to attack on federation

Awami National Party (ANP) leader Afrasiab Khattak

on Friday said the Lahore High Court’s ruling calling for the construction of the Kalabagh dam was akin to an attack on the federation, DawnNews reported. Speaking to media representatives in Islamabad, Khattak said the LHC’s ruling on a set of petitions seeking to build the dam had “the tone of Takht-i-Lahore” in it. Khattak added that three units of the federation had rejected the idea of constructing the much-politicised dam. On the occasion, ANP spokesman Zahid Khan said digging the matter would not deliver any results. Khan added that the ANP would soon announce its strategy on the issue. Earlier on Nov 29, the LHC ordered the federal government to implement decisions of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and build the Kalabagh dam. “The Constitution of Pakistan confers a pre-eminent position to the CCI to formulate and regulate policies for the federation in relation to a number of subjects, including water and power. A decision of the CCI has obligatory effect unless the same is modified by parliament at the instance of the federal government under Article 154(7) of the Constitution,” said a short order issued by LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial after deciding a set of petitions seeking an order for the government to build the dam in the light of CCI’s recommendations.