KARACHI, Sept 13: Lawmakers from the Punjab Assembly have said there is no dispute between Punjab and Sindh and if there is controversy on a certain issue, it can be sorted out through talks.

They assured their counterparts from Sindh that no controversial projects, including the Kalabagh dam project, would be implemented without reaching a consensus.

The MPAs, who are on a visit to Sindh for ‘Legislative dialogue’ under the auspices of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency, were talking to a group of media persons on Friday after their meeting with Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani and leaders of parliamentary parties in the assembly.

Responding to questions, Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Sher Ali Gorchani said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government in the Centre would never go for the construction of the Kalabagh dam and if the people of Sindh favoured building of Akora and Bhasha dams, the Punjab government would have no objection to it.

He said in the past efforts were made to create hatred among provinces in the name of the Kalabagh dam but now there was a democratic government in the country and such visits of parliamentary delegations would play an important role in removing misunderstandings.

He said that the country was facing different challenges such as terrorism, loadshedding, economic crises and law and order and “we could overcome these challenges if all political forces make joint efforts”.

In response to a question, he backed the ongoing operation against criminal elements and said the country’s peace was linked to peace in Karachi and the government should continue the targeted operation to eliminate crimes and restore peace to Karachi.

Mr Gorchani said the targeted operation should not be given a political colour but all should make joint efforts for peace in Karachi as with the improvement of law and order here the economy in the country would grow.

Leader of opposition in the Punjab Assembly Mehmood-ur-Rashid said if such visits from one province to another continue frequently, controversies and misunderstandings between them would be gradually removed.

The delegation, which arrived in the metropolis on Thursday afternoon, was shown around the old historic Sindh Assembly building, which has the credit to be the first assembly to adopt the Pakistan resolution and where the Quaid-i-Azam presided over the first session of the National Assembly of Pakistan. The assembly building also has the honour where for the first time the Pakistan flag was unfurled by Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan.

The delegation was also taken to the new assembly building, which is under construction adjacent to the old building.

On the occasion they were also given lunch and presented with traditional gifts of Ajrak and Sindhi cap.

Earlier on arrival at the assembly building the delegation was welcomed by Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani and Deputy Speaker Shehla Raza.

Workshop

Later the delegation attended a workshop on ‘Legislative dialogue’ in a local hotel.

The workshop continued for over three hours where they had interaction with their local counterparts and exchanged views making comparison on the rules of procedure of all the four provinces.

Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, who is the leader of the PML-F parliamentary party in the Sindh Assembly, told Dawn that the comparative study of the rules would help each other to adopt good things from other assembly for better delivery and service to the people.