Chief Justice takes critics of building dams to task

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Thursday reprimanded those who are raising objection on the project of building damns in Pakistan.

“We will not let the agenda against building dams be fulfilled,” the Chief Justice snapped adding that dams will be built at all costs.

The Supreme Court was hearing the case of Daducha dam, where the top judge gave a sharp response to all the criticism and negative propaganda against construction of dams, he said “whoever is opposing the initiative of building dams, be it a high profile politician or some opposition leader, is actually working on the agenda of someone else and we will not compromise on it.”

He clarified that damns are constructed for the future of our upcoming generations and it is the matter of basic human right.

During another case hearing, Chief Justice Nisar declared that a while ago, school kids contributed to the dam fund. “Now school kids have become a part of this cause, now, no one can hinder the process and dams will be a reality soon.”

A day ago, the fund set up to collect donations for construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams has reached Rs 2.9 billion, showing a sharp rise in amount after Rs 1.05 billion donated by the Pakistan Army yesterday.

Until Sep 7, the country wise data showed that within Pakistan an amount of Rs 1,972,643,520  (Rs1.97 billion) was collected through bank branches, interbank transfers and mobile phone SMS service.

Now it has reached Rs 2,916,671,152 (Rs 2.9 billion).

Out of total donation received from within the country, amount collected through debit/credit cards stands at Rs 94.4 million, Rs 60.6 million were collected through SMS service, Rs 42.64 million from Interbank transfer service whereas an amount of Rs 1.95 billion was collected at bank branches.