MANCHESTER - Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar has said that there would be no further need for fundraising if the looted wealth stashed abroad is recovered and deposited to the dam fund.

“People have to answer how they made Rs3 billion worth property in Dubai. The entire wealth which belongs to the people of Pakistan must be given to the dam fund. There will be strict accountability if not given voluntarily,” the chief justice remarked in his address during a fund raiser for the dam fund in Manchester.

“There will be no further need for fundraising if we recover billions from the looters,” he said. “Those who sent billions by launches will soon have to present themselves for accountability.”

The chief justice said that contrary to his hope few people didn’t put their contribution in dam funds as per their potential and financial stature.

“Those who looted billions didn’t give any amount,” he lamented.

The chief justice said that the country stands most water scarce as it didn’t value water, adding that God forbid, the country could face situation as faced by Somalia and South Africa currently.

“Water is linked with life. If there is no water, there is no life,” he added.

The chief justice said that he didn’t get a satisfactory answer when he asked a top Sindh government functionary to drink a glass of tap water with him.

“I came to know that the underground water table has gone drastically low in Balochistan and the dams have dried up. I was told that there is no other way than rain to fill the dams,” he said.

CJP Nisar said that the court decided construction of Diamer Bhasha Dam because of lack of consensus on the Kalabagh Dam in the country. He called the inaction on building further dams in the country, ‘a criminal negligence’. “There was no action taken despite allocated funds.”

The chief justice said that as many as Rs1500 billion was needed for the dam. “We started the fund raising campaign after all due consideration. We started it by taking our patriotism into consideration,” he added.

The chief justice said that a few individuals due to their vested interests were opposing dam construction, but rest assured they won’t succeed in it.“Inshallah we will build many dams on Indus River,” he said.

He said he had laid the foundation stone for the purpose.

Famed boxer Amir Khan, Naeem Bukhari and other prominent personalities also attended the function.

The chief justice said that he would formally kick-start a population control programme from next month. “I will start the advocacy from my home,” he added.

Justice Nisar said that the campaign will start from December 12 or 13 and will be aimed at creating awareness across the country on the importance of having small families.

The chief justice said that he will start the awareness drive from his own family and advise his children the same.

Acknowledging that this is a sensitive matter for society, he expressed hope that public will support and fully cooperate with him in the drive.

According to the recent census, Pakistan has a population of over 200.77 million and is the sixth most populous country in the world.

Earlier, in London, Justice Saqib Nisar said Pakistan was a sovereign state and added that sovereignty was not less than any blessing. He said that Pakistan needed leaders like Quaid-e-Azam.

The top judge further said that he had no political agenda and vowed to work for the welfare of the humanity after retirement.