Cellphone tax re-imposition for dams: Nation’s ‘yes’ needed for go-ahead, says CJP

LONDON: The Supreme Court had suspended Withholding Tax on the top-up of cellphone prepaid cards and if the nation allows, then we can re-impose it to collect money for Mohmand and Diamer-Bhasha dams.

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said this while addressing a dam fundraising gathering here arranged by the UK Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“It will not be appropriate to impose taxes to collect funds for dams; however, we had earlier suspended Withholding Tax on the top-up of prepaid cards by cellphone service providers and learnt that through this Rs3 billion was saved per month,” he said.

Justice Nisar urged the nation to put forth their viewpoints on his proposal. Terming non-constructing of dams earlier criminal negligence, he said, “A dam needs to be constructed on every inch of the Indus River. The Indus belongs to us under the Indus Water Treaty.”

He expressed hope that one day all the four provinces will agree on construction of Kalabagh Dam.

Justice Nisar said Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams fund was a public property and he’ll hand it over to secure hands before leaving the office.

He said the dams fund initiative had become a movement and a movement of this magnitude could not be shut down or rolled back easily.

“When people realise that their future and the future of their children is at stake then they own the movement. I don’t see any reason why it will fail after my retirement. I cannot imagine that anyone will even imagine closing it down or even think about it,” he said.

He said dams’ initiative was for humanity and it related to the lives of tens of thousands of people. He said the fact that no dam had been built in 40 years was criminal negligence.

“Karachi’s water crisis made me realise how crucial this issue is,” he added. “Tanker mafia and some others have been controlling water supply in Karachi and in Lahore and Quetta the level of underground water is decreasing,” Justice Nisar asserted. He said construction of dams was no longer only Pakistan’s campaign but humanity’s.

The chief justice once again reassured that he will safeguard every penny donated to the dam fund and that he will leave the nation’s money in safe hands before retirement.

“I will make a company to ensure this,” he added.

“These funds are a loan from the nation and I will hand them over to a trustworthy person before leaving.”

Justice Nisar further thanked the government and those who had contributed to the dam fund. He said the country had spent much time deliberating construction of essential reservoirs and now the time had come to build dams.

He said climate change had reduced rains across the world, including Pakistan due to which the underground water level was falling very sharply. He said water level in Pakistan was falling sharply affecting daily life in all big and small cities.

Justice Saqib Nisar said during a visit to Karachi he took suo motu notice of illegal water hydrants and also took action against the water mafia that was selling water to the citizens at a very high price.

He said the dam fund campaign had remained highly successful. “All, including children and elderly persons, are enthusiastic about construction of dams. This is not an ordinary situation but it has become a campaign now.”