Imperative to build dams: CJP

LONDON: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar said on Thursday night that in order to overcome the looming water crisis, building more dams, including Diamer-Basha and Mohmand, was imperatives.

"No one can stop us from building dams in Pakistan on Indus River, as this is in the interest of the country," he said while addressing a large gathering of British-Pakistani community at a fund-raising dinner here at the Royal Nawab Restaurant, organised by the Centre for Policy Dimensions (CPD), UK.

The event was addressed among others by Deputy High Commissioner of Pakistan Muhammad Ayub, directors CPD Muhammad Shafeeque and Muhammad Sohail. British-Pakistani lords, councilors, diplomats, and Pakistani Diaspora belonging to different walks of life attended the event.

Slogans like Pakistan Zindabad, Chief Justice Zindabad, Pakistan Army Zindabad were raised by the participants. CJP Saqib Nisar thanked the organisers for holding the event. He said, "Water is a blessing from Allah and essential for life while existence and prosperity of Pakistan is directly linked with the building of dams in the country."

He said that it was heartening to note that an awareness campaign regarding the building of dams to overcome water shortages has developed among the Pakistanis.

People, including overseas Pakistanis, youth and children, were also actively participating in this campaign, he remarked. He added that overseas Pakistanis wanted progress and prosperity in their motherland.

Lauding Founder of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a true lover of the country, he said that the Quaid despite of his serious illness had never compromised over his mission. He said, "Our country needs lovers of Pakistan like Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and I am witnessing this spirit in this gathering."

The CJP said that he had no political motives and after retirement his only motive would be to serve the people of Pakistan. He said that he wanted elimination of corruption, promotion of rule of law, accountability of rulers, provision of good health and education facilities to the masses in the country. He regretted that in the past 40 years, no solid efforts were made for building more dams.

He thanked the British-Pakistani Diaspora for generously donating in the fund-raising campaigns and hoped their support would benefit Pakistan and its people.

Deputy High Commissioner Muhammad Ayub thanked the CJP for his initiative terming it as a great achievement. He expressed the hope that British-Pakistanis would come forward and play their vital role in the support of this initiative.

The British-Pakistani participants contributed Pounds 385,000 in cash and made pledges of Pounds 5 million for the construction of Diamer-Basha and Mohmand Dams. The CJP would also participate in similar fund-raising functions in London and other cities of the United Kingdom.