Chief justice holds UK telethon to fund dams

Televised push latest chapter in campaign by Nisar to build one of world’s biggest dams

Pakistan’s most senior judge is exhorting British Pakistanis to help build two dams, in an unprecedented crowdfunding attempt.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan held a fund-raising telethon from Manchester on Friday night as part of a weeklong visit to drum up money from Britain.

The televised push was the latest chapter in an unlikely campaign by Saqib Nisar to build what would include one of the world’s biggest dams by public donation. Chief Justice Nisar has become a vociferous supporter of the project, after becoming concerned about water shortage in the world’s sixth most populous nation. He has declared it a national patriotic duty and claimed its opponents are enemies of the state. However, critics claim the project is a huge folly.

Imran Khan, the prime minister, has backed it and said he wants every overseas Pakistani to donate at least $1,000 (Dh3,670) each.

The chief justice said the dams were imperative for Pakistan. The Diamer Bhasha dam would reach 270 metres, making it the world’s sixth tallest dam. The smaller Mohmand dam would be 120 kilometres to the south west. The pair are expected to cost somewhere in the region of $17 billion.

Yet, before last night’s telethon, the fund-raising total stood at only a tiny fraction of that, at around $60 million and the target will not be reached for well over a century, as per some forecasts.

Dr Daanish Mustafa, from King’s College Geography department, said the scheme could end up costing 10 per cent of Pakistan’s annual GDP.