The opposition on Tuesday threatened to lay down lives, if President General Pervez Musharraf went ahead with the construction of Kalabagh Dam without consensus among the federating units.
Farooq Amjad Mir of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League alleged that the opposition was trying to play politics by raising the issue. "How can they oppose the dam? All stakeholders agree on its construction," he wondered. Speaking at a news conference at the Parliament House cafeteria, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leader Liaquat Baloch cautioned President Musharraf against seeking a third term as president.
"After the relevant clause in 17th Amendment that a public office can be served more than two terms, Musharraf can't go beyond his stint," Baloch said. He recalled in 1999, Musharraf took over as President by sending home Rafiq Tarar and then took oath after setting vote of confidence from the Parliament and the provincial' assemblies.
Pakistan Peoples' Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) members on a volley of points of order, assailed Musharraf for opting for the project, even if smaller provinces opposed it.
PPPP chief whip Khurshid Shah rejected the contention that the opposition was playing politics on the proposed dam and warned that without taking the provinces on board, bid to build the project would jeopardise the federation.
The party has also filed a calling attention notice against the president's statement that Punjab would take action, if any smaller province tried to impede the dam, and an adjournment motion for discussion in the House on the matter.
The government said it was ready for the debate so that facts could be placed before the House, as to how imperative it was to build new reservoirs in the face of looming water crisis.
Senior party leader Naheed Khan felt that issues of public concern were deliberately not being taken up in the assembly. She charged the Parliament had been made a rubber stamp.
"How come a general who abrogated the Constitution and calls himself also the president, unilaterally announces to build a dam that has been rejected by three smaller provinces?" She alleged that by saying Punjab would take action against any smaller province, opposing the dam, was aimed at pitching the biggest province against smaller provinces.
No project on which any of the provinces had reservations, she contended, must be imposed on the people of Pakistan, cautioning it could endanger the roots of federation.
The PPPP leader challenges President Musharraf to come to the Parliament and face the public representatives, if he had enough courage, instead of issuing highly controversial statements.
She rejected in categorical terms a report that claimed both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were constantly in touch with President Musharraf. "We believe in public politics, we don't believe in any dictator," she said.
Another PPPP MNA from Sindh Mujeeb Pirzada accused Musharraf of continuing the tradition of violation of the Constitution. "General Musharraf has again violated the Constitution by unilaterally declaring to build the dam," he charged.
He also said that the Constitution made it binding on the president to consult the prime minister and the Cabinet on key issues, whereas Musharraf was not ready to abide by this obligation. Similarly, Pirzada asked why the matter was not being referred to the Council of Common Interests? Earlier, Sherry Rehman of PPPP came down heavily on Musharraf for announcing to construct the dam even if consensus could not be evolved among the provinces.
"There is a forum available in the name of Council of Common Interests, why the matter is not being referred to it? It is a very sensitive issue, we will not let it happen that a dam is built on corpses of the people," she cautioned.
Comments
Comments are closed.