ISLAMABAD: Bringing to fruition Prime Minister Imran Khan’s plans to address the water crisis in the country, the Pakistan Army on Monday contributed more than one billion rupees ($81m) for the construction of much-needed dams.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa presented the cheque to Mian Saqib Nisar, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), on behalf of the army.
The CJP launched the fundraising campaign for the construction of two water reservoirs, namely Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand dams, in July this year. The estimated amount required for the construction of the dams – located in Gilgit-Baltistan and the Mohmand tribal district — is $14 billion, of which Rs2.9 billion has already been collected.
“The Pakistan Army shall continue to contribute toward nation-building as a national institution,” Major General Asif Ghafoor, a military spokesperson, said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, PM Khan met with Lt. Gen. (Retired) Muzammil Hussain, the Chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority to press upon the urgency of constructing the dams. “I may supervise the project myself, given the urgency,” PM Khan said in tweet.
On September 7, he had discussed the ongoing water crisis in a video message to the nation and urged all nationals, especially overseas Pakistanis, to contribute at least $1,000 toward the cause.
PM Khan and the CJP in individual messages have reiterated the need to address the issue, with water scarcity identified as the biggest problem of the country.
New push to raise funds for dams in Pakistan
New push to raise funds for dams in Pakistan
- Army contributes more than Rs1bn for the initiative
- PM Khan discusses urgency of building Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand dams
Pakistan seeks UK action over ‘incitement to violence’ against top military commander
- Move follows a video that purportedly showed a PTI supporter in Bradford referencing violence against the army chief
- Pakistan’s deputy interior minister says the government has written to the UK, saying the content breaches British law
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said on Friday the government has written a letter to the United Kingdom to express concern over social media content circulating from British territory, which he said amounts to incitement to violence against the Pakistani state.
Speaking to a local news channel, Chaudhry said the government raised the issue after a video clip on social media purportedly showed a protester of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party criticizing Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and referring to violence against him.
“This is not a political matter, nor is it a question of freedom of expression,” the minister said while speaking to Geo TV. “This is clearly a violation of international law and of Britain’s own laws, including the British Terrorism Act 2006.”
He said the material went beyond political dissent and amounted to incitement to violence, adding that Pakistan had conveyed to British authorities that states are responsible for ensuring that individuals residing on their territory — whether citizens, asylum seekers or others — do not incite rebellion or violence against another sovereign country.
“What is very dangerous is that a very specific act — a car bombing — has been referenced,” he continued. “It has not been generalized.”
A social media post by a Britain-based journalist claimed that the video was recorded during a protest outside Pakistan’s consulate in Bradford, though neither the authenticity of the footage nor the identity of the individual could be independently verified.
Chaudhry said Pakistan’s complaint to the UK was lodged under international law, British law and United Nations principles governing relations between states, stressing that the issue was one of incitement rather than protected speech.
“This is not about freedom of expression. This is about incitement and terrorism, which is against Britain’s own laws,” he said, adding that Islamabad expects British authorities to take action.
Pakistani officials have also previously voiced concerns over social media activity by PTI supporters abroad that they say fuels unrest and hostility toward state institutions.
British authorities have not publicly responded to the letter or Chaudhry’s statement.
PTI has not reacted to either of them as well.
