Kalabagh Dam is located in Tehsil and District Haripur of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. The Dam is a symbol of natural beauty having rich flora and fauna and a source of clean water and serene environment for the people of adjoining villages. Mr. Akbar Ayub Khan a Provincial Minister hailing from District Haripur in his recent visit to the Kalabagh area announced the establishment of an IT University at the site of Kalabagh Dam after demolishing the same and putting marine and wildlife at risk.

The move is purely political having utter disregard for environmental protection laws and conservation of the environment. The same Provincial Minister has already destroyed Mang Dam of Tehsil and District Haripur and transformed the same to a University.

The site of Dam has to bypass legal formalities of acquiring land for public purpose as per the Land Acquisition Act prevalent in KPK. Being a Provincial Minister and a lawmaker himself, Mr. Akbar Ayub Khan must comply with the legal formalities of acquiring land instead of playing politics with wildlife associated with the Dam. Moreover, a huge area of land is lying vacant adjacent to the Kalabagh Dam and the same area can be utilized for the same purpose.

I appeal to the Prime Minister of Pakistan as well as the Ministry of Climate Change that the demolition of Dam on the pretext of establishing IT University needs further deliberation.

SYEDA SAIMA SHABBIR,

Haripur, April 1.