KARACHI, Jan 19: Leader of the House in the Sindh Assembly Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, before giving way to a debate on the issue of water reservoirs, paid tributes to President Pervez Musharraf for taking the decision to construct Bhasha and Munda dams first as aspired by the people of Sindh.

In this context, he praised the president’s political acumen and statesmanship with which, according to him, President Musharraf saved the country and the federation from any damage.

Making a short statement, Chief Minister Dr Arbab argued: “Ours is an agriculture-based rural economy and, as such, the country badly needs water reservoirs.”

He pointed out that the government had initiated many water management schemes to ensure a better use of the available water. These schemes included construction of canals, strengthening of embankments and projects to contain water logging.

Acknowledging that the opposition did not favour construction of even Bhasha Dam, he pointed out that the technical committee on water reservoirs, led by Mr Abbasi, had recommended that if construction of Skardu Dam could not be started immediately, the next option was Bhasha Dam. Furthermore, he added, there was a consensus on the Bhasha Dam construction at the ministerial meeting on the issue.

Drawing attention of the house to the three reports made available to it with regard to the need for water reservoirs, as well as the feasibility prepared by consultants on downstream flow at Kotri, the chief minister said that it was an undeniable fact that the country badly needed reservoirs to maintain a stock of water sufficient to meet the requirement in shortage periods by saving the commodity during the flood seasons, when rivers would overflow and the flood water would make its way into the sea. Due to this wastage, he noted, crops suffered considerable damage in water shortage period.

Dr Arbab said that several governments in the past had tried to settle the issue of Kalabagh Dam and the Nawaz Sharif government had even made an announcement about building the dam, although it had to abandon the project under pressure. It never talked about any alternative project, he added.

However, the chief minister said, President Musharraf invited a debate on the issue, which was one of the positive aspects of his handling of the affair. The president also met people and, in view of the pressure from those opposed to the dam plan including the people of Sindh and the assembly as a whole, Gen Musharraf, along with ministers, recorded the objections pertaining to the site of the dam.

The chief minister also lauded the role of the opposition in this regard, and noted that the people of Sindh were opposed to construction of Kalabagh Dam, but in the NWFP, the opinion appeared divided.

He appreciated the spirit shown by those parties which favoured the Kalabagh Dam but agreed to respect the president’s decision in the larger interest of the country’s solidarity.

Another positive aspect, he said, was that the feasibility of downstream Kotri, mentioned in the 1991 water accord, was prepared now by consultant.

The chief minister urged members to appreciate the president’s decision by adopting a resolution.