THERE is no disputing Prime Minister Gilanis contention that the Kalabagh Dam issue has been turned into a political football. Talking to a group of journalists in Multan on Sunday, he rightly maintained that the project was useful in itself and could become an asset for the country. But much to ones chagrin, he stopped short of assuring the energy-starved country that his government would be taking practical steps to build the dam. If really he thinks that the reservoir is vital to the countrys power sector, then his lip service reflects badly on his credentials as a leader of the nation. The Prime Minister also cried foul at the watchdog role performed by the judiciary and criticised it rather severely for only keeping an eye on the politicians while letting the generals off the hook. How can he jump to such a conclusion when the PPP-led dispensation, has to all intents and purposes been openly defying the Supreme Court orders and indeed brazenly snubbing it in all its endeavours to carry on with the process of accountability. Besides, his oft-repeated phrase that cases against the PPP leaders were politically motivated rings hollow in the face of prevalent venal and unscrupulous practices on the part of the ruling regime. Certainly, there should be an across the board process of accountability including the generals; but the fact that if anyone in the past was able to get off scot-free cannot be set as a precedent to justify corruption in the future. The government needs to get its act together and start implementation of the Supreme Courts landmark verdict on the NRO. Likewise, his procrastination on Kalabagh Dam is not going to give positive results. What is more, Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babars statement reflecting the PPPs policy that the project is just the demand of Punjab and that the PPP would not be held responsible for not constructing it also verges on the disastrous. Can we not look towards China, Egypt and even the USA, which have been able to fulfil their energy needs by building big water reservoirs. It is a pity that here in Pakistan certain trouble-making, short-sighted parochial figures have sabotaged this vital project. To set the record straight, Kalabagh Dam is not the demand of one province; the entire country stands to benefit from it. The general public everywhere, who have been suffering the agony of loadshedding, would support the project, if opposing politicians were not to distort the reality of the dams immense benefits, both in terms of power generation and water availability. One would earnestly hope that they would drop their objection to the project in the national interest.