The issue of the controversial Kalabagh Dam Monday triggered rumpus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and legislators from treasury and opposition began verbal brawl in the house. The house was debating massive unscheduled electricity and gas load shedding when Pir Sabir Shah, parliamentary leader of PML-N in the provincial assembly termed the hue and cry of the legislators as a blame-game.
He said that ANP is coalition partner in the federal government while the position of JUI-F is ambiguous. He said that the country was facing several challenges and there is no other option than the acceptance of the agenda announced by PML-N chief, Mian Nawaz Sharif for the resolution of the problems faced by the nation. He said that the problems of the load shedding of electricity, gas, closure of industries and unemployment could not be resolved only with the implementation of the points raised by the PML-N leadership.
The parliamentary leader of PML-N said that if initiating of construction work on Kalabagh Dam is not possible, then it should show sincerity in starting work on the Basha Dam and other feasible power projects on war footings. The outburst of the PML-N legislator infuriated Abdul Akbar Khan of PPP to give a tit for tat reply to the former chief minister. He said that the political party represented by Pir Sabir Shah twice remained in power both at central and provincial levels, then why it failed in initiating practical steps in this regard.
He said that the problems of the energy shortage, unemployment faced by the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and federal government also confronting the government in Punjab. The Provincial Minister for Information, Mian Iftikhar Hussein said that the stand of ANP is very much clear on the construction of controversial Kalabagh Dam and it will not be allowed at any cost. However, he said that the provincial government was in close contact with the federal government for the construction of Kalabagh Dam.
He said that Kalabagh Dam is destructive project for the nation as three federating units included Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are opposing and their legislatures have passed unanimous resolution against its construction. Deputy Speaker, Khushdil Khan, who was presiding the proceedings, announced the constitution of a parliamentary committee with representation of all political parties to take up the matter of the load shedding of electricity and gas in the province with the federal government.
The chair also read out the contents of the Article 158 of the Constitution of Pakistan that recognised the right of the federating units on the production of natural gas. He said that first the requirements of the province concerned would be met before its supply to other parts of the country. He asked the parliamentary leaders of ANP and PPP for giving names of their representatives on the committee. On the suggestion of Mian Iftikhar, he said that parliamentary leaders of all political parties of the house would be members of the proposed committee.
Earlier, Atif-ur-Rehman, Malik Mohammad Qasim Khattak, Mufti Kifayatullah, Saqibullah Khan, Qalandar Khan Lodhi, Inayatullah Jadoon, Mohammmad Ali Khan and provincial Minister for Environment, Wajid Ali Khan bitterly criticised the performance of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) for resorting to massive and unscheduled load shedding in the province. They called for immediate end to the load shedding and termed it a conspiracy not only against the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but also the very present democratic system in the country.