Amidst ongoing floods, the Punjab government of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have found rare common ground on the contentious issue of Kalabagh Dam.
Earlier this week, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur said he supported the construction of the Kalabagh Dam and other reservoirs “with consensus” to alleviate the devastation caused by this year’s climate change-induced floods. He said the project was vital for the state and the government should address the public’s reservations over it. The long-pending project was shelved after three provincial assemblies—KP, Balochistan, Sindh—adopted resolutions opposing it.
Reacting to Gandapur’s remarks, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said it was a “sane” suggestion. She said this was the first time she had ever agreed with the KP chief minister, adding climate change required all people to rise above their local interests and work toward a national policy to combat disasters from climate change.
Updating media on the flood situation, she said it was presently under control, with emergency measures underway to ensure the speedy rehabilitation of the affected population. She said 3,243 villages and over 2.4 million people had been affected by the floods in the province.
According to Bokhari, around 1 million people and more than 700,000 livestock have been relocated to safer areas. She said the government had established 395 relief camps, as well as 392 medical camps and 336 veterinary camps to ensure the protection of both human and animal lives.
The provincial minister said the greatest pressure was on the Trimmu Dam but noted the water level in the Ravi River was receding rapidly. “The Punjab government is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the flood victims and will not leave anyone behind,” she maintained.