Ex-Chief Justice, Saqib Nisar, was a guest speaker in a packed hall at the Lahore Literary Festival, where he discussed Pakistan’s pressing water scarcity issue. By the time his session ended, he was seen as the hero many see him to be, and his words were met with applause all around. In fact, people even took to social media to discuss Nisar’s appearance at the panel, alongside the audience’s reaction to him being there.
For instance, there was talk about how the audience praised him and how he himself enjoyed being there.
Just exited #LLF2019 talk featuring Saqib Nisar among others on panel discussing water. He had a LOT of fans in the audience who unendingly praised and applauded him for dam fund. In Lahore, he is a hero.
— Atika Rehman (@AtikaRehman) February 22, 2019
Seriously, I went expecting the same. Was shocked at the love and praise heaped on him. Ex CJ enjoyed it thoroughly https://t.co/Fw6JEf4XFP
— Atika Rehman (@AtikaRehman) February 22, 2019
However, what people aren’t talking about as much is what the ex-Chief Justice admitted to at the panel.
While talking about the dam fund, which – mind you – has been just about the biggest deal in Pakistan ever since its announcement, Nisar revealed something rather interesting.
According to dawn.com, while fielding questions, he was asked why any other politician or leader didn’t take up the cause earlier – did they not feel the same pain he did? Moreover, he was asked if he’d continue the effort after having retired. While he simply thanked the audience member for the kind words, he was further questioned about what advice he had for the government on how to proceed with the current funds that have not yet met the target amount.
“We never thought this money would be sufficient to complete the project,” dawn.com quotes him to have stated. “We wanted to create awareness and make people understand how important it is. If through this donation we are able to generate another Rs 15 billion then that is an achievement.”
“This money was never intended to be used 100% for building. [Through these funds] it really became a campaign.”
Wait, so – the dam fund isn’t going to be used for actually building the dam that people have so keenly been looking forward to, letting themselves believe it will solve Pakistan’s water scarcity issue?
So the calls for donation, the high-scale involvements and endorsements, people giving their entire life’s worth of savings – all of that wasn’t for an actual dam, but merely for the “idea” of a dam? For a campaign that may never see fruition?
Cool, cool.
Going on about this campaign, Nisar had the following to say:
““People have been coming to me to donate their entire lives’ pension. Small children came to me. There was a jazba. I’m sure it will continue. We have suggested how this fund can be raised with treasury bills and bonds etc.”
Look, don’t get me wrong. Jazba is great, but jazba doesn’t quench thirst or magically provide running water for irrigation. Jazba doesn’t grow crops. Actual water does. And to talk about this at a water scarcity panel – and be met with applause – were the audience members not listening…?
Nisar reportedly began the session by talking about how the idea of this dam fund came to him. He also went on to defend the dam fund itself.
“This is directly connected to the right of life. The constitution says if it is a question of fundamental rights then the Supreme Court has the unfettered right to enforce that right for public good. [Under this clause] I Issued a direction to the government for the purpose of the fundamental right to life.”
I mean, he’s right. But, uh, what does the Supreme Court say about dam funds that aren’t ever going to be used to make actual dams? It’s also interesting to note that he himself admitted that people have come up to him with their savings and with their pension to donate money for the cause. Matlab haan, you’re right. So what about that money?
Honestly, this raises a bunch of questions.
What happens to the money now? Will the dam fund continue? If it’s just for awareness, then what happens to the money? Will there ever be a dam, even if the target amount is met? If not, what is going to happen? Do people get an official statement or explanation regarding this?
The revelations from the panel have left me, personally, with more questions than answers. The dam fund was promoted with immense vigor – all for it to be a form of raising awareness, a form of jazba? Okay. Let’s hope this jazba is enough to pull Pakistan out of its still very pressing and unaddressed water scarcity issue, the deadline for which grows closer by the minute, with no dam in sight – just the idea of it.
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Cover image via YouTube/Waqar Zaka