Session 13: Kalabagh Dam

For a thriving economy energy/electricity is considered to be the life line and a vital instrument of socio-economic development. For a developing economy with a high population growth rate like Pakistan’s, it is essential to keep a balance between cheap energy/electricity supply and emerging needs. However, because of policy and planning failure, electricity supply has been outstripped by its demand, crippling all facets of modern living, particularly the economy. Thus, Pakistan’s immediate and long range power and water requirements dictate that political masters and planners urgently address the opposing concerns to pave the way for harnessing hydel potential of Indus River. 

Kalabagh dam will be in the best interest of the country because it will boost Pakistan’s GDP, ameliorate water shortage problem and curtail flooding. Kalabagh dam has become controversial with three assemblies of Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly Sindh, who have passed unanimous resolutions against it; the main bone of contention being availability of water. Furthermore, the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa apprehends that fertile Nowshera will be submerged causing mass population dislocation. On the contrary, if built, it would ameliorate water shortage and recoup the lost storage capacity of old dams. In addition to this, building the Kalabagh dam will improve Pakistan’s GDP by reducing dependence on imported fuels through cheap power generation.

Thus, the construction of Kalabagh dam can prove to be of value for Pakistan’s economy and will resolve its recent energy crisis that has made the country handicapped so it should be built immediately.