ISLAMABAD, Dec 21: President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday stressed the need for evolving a consensus on building large water reservoirs and called for an open debate on the issue at the political level. He also said that truth must be told.

He was addressing the annual dinner of the Pakistani-Americans Public Affairs Committee (PAK-PAC).

The president said he was not against taking the opposition along on the issue and would like to meet anyone.

Expressing the hope about creating awareness among the people on the issue, particularly in Sindh, about the need for building dams, he said he would try to “turn the tide” in favour of what he termed direly-needed reservoirs for Pakistan’s sustained economic growth.

“Now, this is a life and death issue for Pakistan, most of all for Sindh,” he declared, and vowed that he would not let the southern province and the country suffer on account of water shortage.

Emphasizing that water issue was a national and not a personal issue, President Musharraf said: “It is Pakistan’s issue. It is an issue, which involves every Pakistani individual. Therefore, it is as much an issue for parliament, the National Assembly and the Senate. I would like this to be debated and discussed at the political level in an open manner.”

Stressing the need for addressing the issue, he hoped that people would understand the issue in its right perspective.

“So I hope that the people will realize that the truth is that (if we do not build the dam) we will be committing suicide — we need to tell this to all the people of Pakistan and especially the people of Sindh, and I am sure they will understand.”

“We need to take the people along. We need to develop as much of a consensus as possible. I am not against a consensus and I am not against taking the people along. I am not against taking the opposition along. I would like to meet anyone.”

Analyzing the water situation, he said Pakistan would face a dangerous shortfall amounting to as much as 20 million acre feet of water if it did not build new dams by 2020.

The construction of two dams would conserve 4.4 million acre feet of water for Sindh, he said. If the country, he said, reverted to the 1991 Water Accord, it would bring an additional two million acre feet of water for the province, totalling 6.4 maf of additional water for the province — more than (the capacity of) Mangla dam.

“I will not allow Sindh to commit suicide and I will not allow Pakistan to commit suicide (on this count),” he stated amid tumultuous applause from the gathering of Pakistani-Americans.

President Musharraf told the gathering which included US Ambassador Ryan Crocker, that Pakistan was combating extremism and terrorism in “a holistic manner and in strategic long-term perspective”.

Externally, the president said, he had proposed enlightened moderation as a way forward as it “seeks to address long-standing political disputes affecting Muslims,” besides urging Muslim countries to renounce extremism existing on their fringes.

Internally, he said, the country had taken both short- and long-term measures to stem extremism. Referring to the banning of extremist organizations and publication of hate material, he said that the government had also curbed the misuse of places of worship for fanning discord and hatred.

He also referred to improvement in education curricula, implementation of Madressah strategy and the beginning of an Islamic Renaissance through a soon-to-be-established private institution.

Speaking about Pakistan’s recent achievements, he described Pakistan as a country on the rise as it earned an elevated stature in the comity of nations because of its role and economic success.

Pakistan, the president said, would continue onwards with the economic upswing despite the Oct 8 earthquake catastrophe and soaring oil prices in the world markets.

In this context, he listed a series of macro-economic achievements and initiatives and said the government was now focused on transmitting gains to the grass-roots level.

President Musharraf voiced a firm hope about Pakistan’s ability to overcome extremism and terrorism and said: “We will keep moving and harmonizing socially and bringing about a transformation in Pakistan.”

Dilating on the country’s reconstruction and rehabilitation strategy in the areas shattered by October 8 earthquake calamity, the president held out a firm assurance of observing complete transparency in the rebuilding stages.

Looking forward to continued generous response from Pakistani Americans, he said facilities sponsored by individuals or organizations in the quake region would be named after them.

President Musharraf lauded the tremendous response of Pakistani expatriates including the Pakistani Americans to the greatest natural disaster in the country’s history.

Appreciating the PAK-PAC for projecting Pakistan in good light in the United States, he called upon the organization to be more pro-active vis-a-vis Pakistan-India relations and project the Kashmir cause more effectively. — APP