Metro versus hydro
Amjad Hussain Nazar
The mafia in the country always remained successful in molding the policies into their favour, deceitful plans, actions, politics, narration and policies beneficial to mafia kept up preference and genuineness, always stick around for attention, of ruling regime.
Energy policy beneficial to independent power producers (IPP) sector maintaining propensity over hydroelectric power generation sector. Enhancement in hydro power generation capacity serviceable to the poorest class will resentfully affect the financial interest of the energy mafia in the country.
The government`s funding and other investment criteria set down by the ruling government is having no fruits for poorest class across.
During the last two years non of the hydroelectric power generation project qualified investment as well the government`s funds in order to meet dire energy needs of the country.
The high casting energy generation projects like thermal coal, wind etc got importance under the policies of present regime. The economy of common men and the country is receiving worst impact day by day, due to the disingenuous approach.
It has been learnt that the table for success in our country has been reserved for artful and not for the actual, artful mafia always had maneuvered resources for themselves by exploitation of parties, regions, caste,creeds and defeated genuineness at all events.
KPK and GB(Gilgit_Baltistan) despite having huge hydroelectric power generation potential, lie in wait to get attraction of the ruling class, for investment on energy sector and potentials of their respective region.
KPK being smaller and GB being smallest unit badly failed to get attention and investment towards the huge hydro power potential.The financial reach to the potential resources have impeded by mafia in collusion with the policy makers.
The policy makers having unfettered powers have focused financial input to the mega projects up to their constituencies.
They concentrated taxpayers money towards the projects of comfort and willfully failed to redress the problems of poorest class and farthest areas of the country.The rulers need to behave like national leaders without indulging into the constituencies.The speedy execution of Metro bus, coal, wind and thermal projects by utilization of huge money are constituency based designs.
whereas the willful and disingenuous negligence towards hydroelectric power generation projects and economic corridor project is result of ill will and artful maneuvering of mafia and nothing else.
The dire energy needs of the poorest class demands wisest investment of government funds towards the necessities, fundamental needs and basic requirements.
Kala bagh dame project was hampered & politicised on pretext of the reservations of the provinces whereas the unnecessary delay in execution of Diamer Basha dame project resulting another example of kala bagh dame.
The delayed progress of land acquisition process, boundary dispute between kpk and GB and the defecto character of GB are the major issues of project.
The well planned and indispensable investment over hydroelectric power generation potential of KPK and GB would be more propitious to the economy of country as well as far flung undeveloped units of the federation.
It is the constitutional obligation that the government should invest funds on backward areas of the country in order to bring undeveloped areas at par with the developed areas of the country.
Federalism demands parity as well equal treatment and opportunities, the discriminatory actions and neglecting behaviour of rulers would ultimately give birth to misconceptions.
The disparities always harvested and ingathered disappointments to the unity of units which is negation of the federalism philosophy.
The metro projects having utmost importance and rapid execution particularly within the most developed areas and delay in execution and dead slow progress of hydroelectric power generation projects in farthest units have given rise to serious questions which needs clear answer.
The hydroelectric power generation potential of the country needs special attention of the government of Pakistan.There are more than 10 PSDP power projects in GB are pending for execution with the planning commission of Pakistan, nevertheless the delay in progress, and the apathy attitude of the authorities towards the important hydroelectric generation projects in undeveloped areas strengthening apprehensions of the small units of the federation
GB is facing acute load shedding even though having more than 50000 MW power generation potential in the region.The metro is earning patronage and every support under the ruling regime whereas hydro seems abounded neglected and worth less despite having indispensable importance.
The neglected region and voice less people having no authority in mainstream needs attention and equal treatment, in order to get basic necessities of life.The government is duty bound to focus investment towards the necessities of the life and potentials of the undeveloped areas of the country in order to fortify nationhood and federalism in country.
The metro and high casting power generation projects with in the constituencies of the policy makers by exercising unfettered powers and the failure of planning commission of Pakistan to allocate funds for the development of underdeveloped areas of the country will create mistrust among the federating units.
The contributor is a PPP leader and member of the Gilgit-Baltistan Council.
