Ex Central Information Secretary of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Taj Haider has proposed in a press statement that the funds contributed by public for the construction of Diamer Bhasha Dam, should rather be spent on completing the final and third stage of the 100 small dams project in the Province of Balochistan.
Senator Taj Haider said that 5 pre-qualification bids for contractors of Diamir Bhasha Dam had already been received. Financing offers for the required 1500 billion rupees were being solicited. Present collections of 3.5 billion, which may go up to 6 or 7 billion will be insignificant for financing of the Mega project. However, if this amount was spent on completion of 100 dams project in Balochistan, it will have a big impact on the life of the common man, living in remote and far flung areas of that Province.
”Every child from Karachi or Lahore contributing ten rupees to a small dam in a remote corner of Balochistan will in fact be telling the people of Baluchistan that we are one and we care for you”, Senator Taj Haider said.
Besides the welfare of the marginalised people in the province, this gesture will also send a message of goodwill and solidarity from the rest of the country to the people of Balochistan.
Published in Daily Times, September 18th 2018.
