As the fund dedicated for the construction of Diamer Basha and Mohmand dams has received a lukewarm response from across the country, the Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) managed to held an Independence Day music concert to raise funds for the construction of the Diamer Basha and Mohmand Dams.
PIAF chairman Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said the Jashn e Azadi concert was held at National Hockey Stadium Lahore which was attended by a large number of business community with their families by purchasing tickets. He said the earnings and contributions of this concert will be fully donated to the supreme court of Pakistan Diamer Basha & Mohmand Dam fund lead to construction of the dams.
He said that the project will contribute towards alleviation of acute water shortages in the Indus Basin Irrigation System caused by progressive siltation of existing reserves.
A large number of renowned personalities who attended the event including Mian Anjum Nisar, Irfan Iqbal Sheikh Sohail Nisar, Tariq Nazir chief secretary Akbar Durani, Imran Tarar, DG LDA Amna Imran Shakil Anjum, Kh. Javed Aslam Qaiser Sultan and many TV/ Film actors and artists and thousands of others.
Quoting the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), he said that the total collection from within Pakistan was recorded at Rs854.8 million so far for dams’ construction. The detail shows that the fund received Rs22 million on August 13, Rs87.4 million on August 9, Rs63.4 million on August 8, and Rs44.9 million on August 6.
He hailed the decision of the Supreme Court for initiating the move, also asking the government to start work on Kalabagh Dam without any further delay. He observed that KBD is the most thoroughly studied project by world’s top experts, reviewed by noted international panels of professionals and thoroughly appraised by the World Bank. The project is located in the middle of load centre, easy to approach and no long distance transmission lines are required for it. It is ready for construction since mid eighties and international financing from World Bank or Asian Bank can still be easily arranged.
