Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said there is a consensus in the country that water reservoirs are required. In an interview with a private TV channel, he said no dams have been constructed in the country since long.
He said there is talk of various locations and options and according to him all (options) will have to be implemented. This will take time and resources would also be required.
"Insha Allah, we will get resources," the Premier remarked and added by 2016 or 2020, dams (construction) would be completed. The Premier said number of efforts were made in the past but neither there were resources nor any definite decision could be made for making headway for the construction of dams.
He stated every Pakistani agrees that the country needs water reservoirs. However, debate is continuing as to when and where these should be constructed and in which sequence.
Referring to history, the Premier said the matter to some extent pertaining to lack of trust and some of the provinces maintain they did not get their rights and there may be facts in that. But this is a complicated issue. It depends as to how this should be viewed.
However, he added, we will have to take the entire country along and we will have to keep in view priorities and reservations of the people and we will have to foster national cohesion. This should also be the basis for the decision process in this respect.
The Prime Minister pointed out today Pakistan is storing nine percent of its water.
About flow of water, he said this is not even always. At the time of flood there is so much water that there are negative effects also. The floodwater goes into the sea. And there is shortage of water even a month later.
Therefore, he stressed, we will have to construct dams and water reservoirs. He said we will have to construct two to three dams. If certain areas have any reservations then these can be addressed technically and balanced through various measures.
He, however, made it very clear whatever decision would be taken, it would be in the interest of the country, and with this, effects of construction of dam would be very positive.
About the Council of Common Interests (CCI), the Prime Minister said every Pakistani has welcomed reconstitution of the CCI, which will produce positive results.
The Prime Minister said Pakistan is a peaceful country and wants to live in peace with India, underlining the need for resolution of the Kashmir dispute.
Talks on the Kashmir issue were going on through diplomatic channel as well as through "back channel" contacts, the Prime Minister said.
Referring to opening of five crossing points on the Line of Control, he said it was aimed at fostering contracts and interaction among Kashmiris. There was some headway and it was a positive development, but these points were not functioning as effectively as they could have, he added.
Replying to a question on recent Indian comments regarding Balochistan, he said it was a diplomatic principle that when two sovereign countries talk about each other they should not interfere in internal affairs.
He said the Indian statement had "pained us". They should not have done so, as such utterances could mar the atmosphere.
The Prime Minister said steps being taken by Pakistan for its security was its right and on this "we would not entertain outsiders' views".
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