RAWALPINDI, 27 December 2005 — President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has stressed the need for additional water reservoirs to meet the country's water requirements and prepare for future contingency plans to cope with any water shortage.
The president, who visited Sindh and Balochistan recently to garner support for the proposed Kalabagh Dam project told a high-level meeting here: "We badly need big water reservoirs to maintain the growth of our agro-based economy". In case reservoirs are not built now Sindh would be the worst sufferer, he said.
The meeting attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, ministers and the chief ministers of Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab discussed the issue.
North West Frontier Province Chief Minister Akram Durrani, who opposes the dam, boycotted the meeting.
Prime Minister Aziz briefed the meeting on the country's existing water reservoirs and their capacity and the shortage of water in NWFP, Punjab and Sindh.
Aziz said the report of the technical committee dealing with the issue would be placed before the Senate. The report of the International Panel of Experts (IPOE) on downstream Kotri would be made public, he said.
Musharraf told the meeting he would visit the NWFP and Punjab soon to garner public support for the dam.
He said he would address the nation through television and radio to drive home his concern about the dwindling water resources and the need for building dams.
Leaders in the NWFP say the city of Nowshera will be submerged with the construction of Kalabagh Dam.
Sindh holds a different view. It fears an infringement on its rights by Punjab if the Kalabagh Dam is constructed.
A nationwide debate is on in favor and against the proposed construction of the dam.
