In an interview with this newspaper, former Chairman WAPDA and a gifted engineer Shamsul Mulk has categorically stated that the only solution to our energy crisis lies in Kalabagh Dam. This sane counsel has, unfortunately, been senselessly turned down by the ANP and the PPP-led government, which being a popularly elected dispensation had a good opportunity to build consensus and make this national dream into a reality. But its apathy, apart from neglecting this vital project, has also resulted in simply failing to submit a stay order in the international intermediary court stopping India from building Kishanganga Dam. It has even surprised India, which discovered that Pakistan had not even submitted an application for the stay orders. This amounts to giving India an unconditional permission to build the controversial project. It is a pity that our Indus Water Commissioner was apparently asleep and even did not bother to inform himself of the basic legal procedure to stop Indias water aggression. We must realise that now there is no way out of our water woes except Kalabagh Dam. Shamsul Mulk, unlike the ANP leaders who raucously oppose the dam on political grounds without citing any facts and figures, has stated that while the cost of electricity generation through thermal sources stands at Rs 12/kwh, hydropower would decrease it to Rs 1/kwh. With such reasonable tariffs, the public would have a crumb of comfort at this time of inflationary spiral that unleashes its destructive fury by also raising power rates. Cheaper electricty would help control the price hike. Mr Mulk also made a significant point that Kalabagh Dam which at the time of feasibility study was estimated to take seven years to complete could now be built in a lesser period owing to modern technology. Now that India has entered literally the last stage of turning us into a barren land, it would be a terrible crime to ignore Kalabagh.