Importance of Kalabagh Dam: History, Map and Issues
Posted by HAMZA
Kalabagh Dam issue is an issue which you can’t take eyes off, thanks to PCRWR’s latest report which states that if there comes no serious efforts Pakistan will run out of the water by 2025. The latest report has once again emerged industrialists, agriculturalists and commoners talking about the pros and cons of long-standing issue of Kalabagh Dam. The dam which would have been operational since long after then’s Presidents Musharraf’s claim of starting it in the larger interest of the people, back in 2004, but the hindrances and points coming at the provincial level are stopping Kalabagh, which is something more of the national level.
Location and Map of Kalabagh Dam
Kalabagh is a place in district Mianwali, which is taken as the ideal place of building a dam as it is the only answer to the water flowing from the Swat, Indus and Kabul River. It should be noted here at this time the water flowing from all the three aforementioned rivers is not utilized at all and ultimately it falls into the Arabian Sea.
Importance of Kalabagh Dam
The experts are of the view this 80km-long reservoir of Kalabagh if completed can generate electricity up to 3,600 megawatts (4,800,000 hp), which is enough to take Pakistan out of the longstanding power crisis. On the other hand, it would also turn a serious backing to the stumbling industry and agriculture industry of Pakistan as it can also irrigate the barren lands of Sindh, Balochistan and KPK
History of Kalabagh Dam
Kalabagh Dam is portrayed as the ultimate solution to water and energy crisis in Pakistan. Back in 2004, President Musharraf vowed to build the Kalabagh dam in the larger interest of masses, but soon it become the talk of the past. Later in 2010, then Federal Minister of Water and Power in Pakistan called off the project by saying “Kalabagh Dam would not be constructed” after facing the strong opposition from Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other stake holders.
In the very same tenure of PPP, Yousuf Raza Gillani highlighted that Kalabagh Dam would have minimized the damage, his statement came after the worst flood stuck Pakistan in 2010.
Kalabagh Dam Issues with Advantages and Disadvantages
You might have been hearing since long that the opposition from different provinces makes the Kalabagh dam project case look weak. To be very exact, Khyber Pakthunkhwa believes Kalabagah dam, if made would flood Nowshera, whereas Sindh is of the view that it will run dry the Sindh river.
