Tahir Maqsood Chheena
The recent endorsement of the long-dead Kalabagh Dam project by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has stirred up political controversy across Pakistan. His surprising statement, made without consensus from his party or province, goes against decades of opposition by provincial assemblies in Sindh, Balochistan, and even KP itself. At a time when Pakistan desperately needs federal unity, reopening the Kalabagh debate has exposed old wounds that threaten to undermine national cohesion.
Mr Gandapur’s remarks, ostensibly qualified by the need to address provincial concerns, triggered immediate backlash. Senior PTI leaders from KP and Sindh were quick to distance the party from his stance. Former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser clarified that Gandapur’s statement did not represent PTI policy, emphasizing that controversial projects should be avoided to strengthen the federation. Haleem Adil Sheikh dismissed the dam as a “dead horse” that PTI never supported. On the other side, the PPP’s Nisar Khuhro reminded everyone that three provincial assemblies had already rejected Kalabagh through formal resolutions.
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The irony lies in Punjab’s reaction. Historically perceived by other provinces as the driving force behind Kalabagh, the ruling PML-N government in Punjab welcomed Gandapur’s statement. Its information minister promptly aligned with him, exposing the enduring provincial rift. What Punjab views as a strategic necessity is seen elsewhere as a dangerous sell-out. This sharp contrast underscores how differently federating units perceive water politics, fueling distrust in the federation’s ability to ensure fairness.
Gandapur’s timing is especially problematic. His remarks followed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s call in flood-hit Narowal for a national consensus on new reservoirs to mitigate climate change and recurring floods. While the prime minister’s appeal was couched in terms of climate resilience, invoking Kalabagh dam undermines that message by reviving one of the most divisive issues in Pakistan’s federal history. Rather than uniting provinces around shared challenges, the move has opened old wounds of mistrust.
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The Kalabagh controversy reflects a deeper malaise: the inability of Pakistan’s power elite to think beyond brick-and-mortar hydropower solutions. Despite repeated climate disasters, policymakers remain trapped in outdated thinking that prioritizes mega dams over sustainable alternatives. The obsession with Kalabagh reveals both a lack of imagination and the lure of financial interests tied to mega projects. Instead of confronting the realities of climate change with innovative strategies, leaders recycle controversial schemes that fracture national unity.
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Pakistan today ranks among the 10 most climate-vulnerable countries. It faces chronic water shortages, worsening droughts, destructive floods, and the slow death of the Indus Delta. Communities in Sindh are being displaced as sea intrusion erodes farmland and livelihoods. These existential threats cannot be resolved by halting river flows through controversial dams. Instead, they require smarter approaches: water conservation, modern irrigation, wetland restoration, delta protection, and climate-resilient infrastructure. By clinging to Kalabagh, leaders are distracting the country from solutions that could genuinely safeguard its people.
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Federalism, at its core, is about balancing provincial autonomy with national unity. Water disputes are among the most sensitive issues that test this balance. The history of Kalabagh demonstrates how ignoring provincial voices deepens mistrust. Sindh has long feared reduced downstream flows would devastate its delta and agriculture. Balochistan views the project as a scheme to strengthen Punjab’s dominance. Even KP has raised concerns about submergence of fertile land and displacement of local communities. These anxieties cannot be brushed aside as mere “politics”; they are rooted in real social, economic, and ecological consequences.
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The Constitution of Pakistan provides a clear pathway to address such disputes: federal consensus through the Council of Common Interests (CCI). It is the CCI’s mandate to resolve inter-provincial disagreements over resources. Yet successive governments have failed to use the forum effectively, preferring instead to push unilateral agendas. Reviving Kalabagh without provincial consent is not only politically reckless but constitutionally unsustainable. Only through dialogue, trust-building, and transparent data-sharing can water disputes be addressed within the spirit of federalism.
What Pakistan needs now is not the resurrection of divisive projects but a new federal compact on water governance. Such a compact should prioritize:
Equitable distribution of water resources among provinces.
Investment in climate-smart solutions like recharge dams, rainwater harvesting, and modern irrigation.
Rehabilitation of the Indus Delta to protect livelihoods in Sindh.
Strengthening provincial autonomy in water management within a federal oversight framework.
Transparent decision-making through empowered forums like the CCI.
Only by pursuing such a cooperative federalist approach can Pakistan address climate challenges without destabilizing the federation.
In conclusion, Chief Minister Gandapur’s endorsement of the Kalabagh Dam may have been a political stunt, but its consequences are dangerous. At a time when Pakistan faces climate-induced floods, economic collapse, and political fragmentation, the country cannot afford to re-open old wounds. The Kalabagh debate belongs to the past; the future lies in federal cooperation and climate-smart water strategies. Pakistan’s survival depends not on dams that divide, but on federalism that unites. Anything less risks weakening both democracy and the federation itself.
