Pakistan still needs Kalabagh Dam

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Pakistan still needs Kalabagh Dam

Muhammad Zahid Rifat


LAHORE – The much-hyped National Energy Conference, convened by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani for taking stock of lingering energy crisis and suggesting ways and means to overcome the same on priority basis, ended in Islamabad on a rather disappointing note. The moot took some measures which were far from being revolutionary, innovative, imaginative, bold and courageous. They were rather amount to unpleasant ones and as such not practicable.Decisions like closure of the markets and marriage halls earlier, no use of ACs in government offices before 11 a.m., two weekly off days etc., etc. could have even been taken without convening such large moots. Decisions of the moot were announced in the Federal Capital at a high-level press conference which was jointly addressed by Prime Minister Gilani, Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamaruzzaman Kaira and Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf among others down the line including WAPDA and PEPCO officials.Before going into further details of what measures were to be taken by the Federal and Provincial governments for energy conservation without fastening of the belts by the rulers and those treading the corridors of power for the last more than two years, this scribe would like to mention here some startling, shocking and surprising power generation figures. Pakistan’s total power generation from all resources (hydraulic, thermal and nuclear) stands at 19.5 GW, Turkey 40 GW and Brazil 95 GW. Pakistan produces about 65 per cent from thermal sources, only 33 per cent from hydel sources and just 2 per cent from nuclear sources, 425 megawatt to be exact from two nuclear plants at Karachi and Chashma. Over the years, instead of laying greater stress on cheap power generation (hydel sources), the succeeding civil and military government went for thermal power stations and even the private power producing plants which too were mostly based on thermal sources. None of these civil and military governments, too, the bold and daring decision to undertake construction of multi-purpose Kalabagh Dam which alone could store 7.1 million acres of feet (MAF) of water and produce 2,400 to 3,600 megawatt of electricity.In a rather belated manner, the government decided to boost nuclear power generation seeking the civil nuclear technology facility from USA and any other country. The fate of raising this important question at the recently held Nuclear Security Summit in Washington is already well know to every here. Much before Pakistan could make a formal request to the USA or any other country for acquiring civil nuclear technology, India had sounded warning to all those attending the Nuclear Security Summit not to forget Pakistan’s nuclear proliferation track record which was not so good .Obviously, this was pointed reference to Pakistan’s disgraced nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan who had publicly confessed his crime of committing nuclear technology smuggling. This black slur on the name of Pakistan would remain there for, God knows, how long till some steps are taken to set the records straight.Coming back to the power conservation decisions taken by the largely attended moot, the two weekly off days in the government offices has been previously tried at least twice and had miserably failed to produce the desired results. The government functionaries would avail two days in non-productive extra-curricular activities, use the official vehicles at their disposal mercilessly and thus fuel usage would increase substantially adding to the burden on the public exchequer as well as the ever piling up oil import bill.The no switching on of ACs in the government offices before 11 a.m. is also hardly feasible as in the absence of any checks and balances, sizeable number of senior government functionaries do not turn up in their offices before 10 or 11 every morning. The bold and unpleasant decision would have been to switching off all the airconditioners in the government offices and residences till at least the energy crisis persists. After all, our forefathers and father had lived with this luxury of ACs and produced better results.As a matter of fact, the fastening of the belts should start from the top. The President, the Prime Minister, the whole lot of the Federal Ministers, Ministers of State and the Advisors with the status and privileges of the Federal Minister should have announced curtailing of power consumption of power in the offices and residences topped by at least cutting down the number of ACs installed there. If at all the power load shedding has to persist for pretty longer time all exemptions from load shedding including the VVIPs, VIPs, their families, relatives and friends should be ruthlessly withdrawn forthwith.There should be no relaxation whatsoever in enforcing early closure of the markets, shopping centres and marriage halls. All out efforts should be made in ac determined and committed on priority basis, if at all this can be done by the rulers, to exploit country’s huge coal reserves for setting of as many coal fired power plants as [possible without any further delay. If the resources constraints come in the way, then the people should be asked to make generous donations for this purpose. If those treading the corridors of powers are not willing to part with even some of their enormous assets within the country and abroad, then the people would certainly be ready to make their contributions towards setting up of the coal fired power plants in Sindh province and elsewhere provided they are sure about their hard earned money not being wasted or embezzled. They had donate in cash and kind to enable legendary cricket figure Imran Khan to construct Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital and Research Centre in Lahore then they can also contribute towards raising of funds for setting up of the coal fired power plants subject to sincerity, honesty, integrity and commitment to the nation and the country of those who are appealing to them for making donations.At the same time, efforts should be continued in an unabated manner for acquiring the much desired and needed civil nuclear technology by effectively countering all hostile propaganda against Pakistan on the ground of public confession of smuggling of nuclear technology designs and drawings by the since disgraced nuclear scientist. The national interests are supreme and as such must be given preference to all petty and vested interests of some individuals, groups and areas.


Pakistan still needs Kalabagh Dam