ISLAMABAD
The Supreme Court’s constitutional bench on Monday issued a notice to the Advocate General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in a suo motu case pertaining to the supply of contaminated water from Khanpur Dam.
The five-member bench, headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan and comprising Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, Justice Shakeel Ahmed and Justice Aamer Farooq, heard the matter.
During the proceedings, WAPDA’s counsel Hasan Raza informed the court that Khanpur Dam is the sole source of drinking water for around five million people. He stated that the number of boats operating in the dam has drastically increased — from 20 in the past to the present 326 — due to recreational activities and resorts, which has led to rising pollution levels. He added that the district administration continues to facilitate these activities.
Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail remarked that the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) is also present and should formulate certain rules in this regard. Justice Shakeel Ahmed observed that the dam administration has the authority to prohibit motorboats.
