LHC seeks Government report on benefits of KBD by Sept 13

Posted on 9 months ago

F.P. Report
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday has adjourned till September 13 the hearing of the construction of Kala Bagh Dam with directions to the federal government to submit report about the benefits of the project.
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial of the LHC was hearing the case and during the course of proceeding CJ observed that according to WAPDA the project of KBD was in the best interests of the country and its construction was opposed on the basis of rumors.
A K Dogar told the court that Federal Minister Basheer Bilour had reservations about the construction of KBD and he feared that with the construction of KBD five districts of Khyber Pakhtoon Khawa will be inundated. He asserted that WAPDA engineers reported that these areas of the province would benefit from the project.
On the other side, Attorney General Irfan Qadir opted the view point that the petitioner was not the affectee and his application should be rejected. During the proceeding, the CJ remarked that 'the matter of KBD was not taken to the Council of the Common Interests and the court has powers to intervene into the matter'.
CJ observed, "Federal government does not submit the answers relatives to the questions raised in this regard'. He directed Attorney General to submit report about the benefits of the project and adjourned the hearing till September 13.
Earlier the court gave last chance to federal government till August 30, to submit its reply about the construction of KBD. WAPDA told the court that three out of four provinces including Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa were against the construction of Dam and had objected over the project. They did not aware of technicalities while many surveys had been conducted by the foreign experts for this purpose and they declared this project very best for the country.
On the other hand, the Council of Common Interests told the court that the matter of Kala Bagh Dam was not brought into the council and was made controversial.
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