Tehreek-e-Istaqlal (TI) President, Rehmat Khan Wardag has described the water issue as of paramount importance to the country in the next 10 years, in which the provinces of Sindh and Punjab would be facing severe hardships due to seasonal and water shortages.
He said still the time is within reach for the country to take a decision and kick-start work on a big dam, which is Kalabagh Dam (KBD) in view of its ready feasibility and inclination of international donors to finance it.
This, he said while addressing a press conference at the Sindh-Punjab border town of Ubauro on Saturday.
Rehmat Khan Wardag said that it was imperative that President General Pervez Musharraf should take a decision about construction of big dams to boost the country's economy and also because the two reports of Parliamentary Committee and Technical Committee had already been placed before him for a final say.
Wardag further said with the announcement of Kalabagh Darn, President General Pervez Musharraf would be honoured in history and would be regarded as saviour of the nation.
He said Pakistan needed big dams to meet its agricultural needs in future and for cheap hydel electricity to run its industries.
He said if the feasibility of Bhasha Dam was completed even now it would be an uphill task to go for it, as three times more funds would be required for Bhasha Dam as compared to KBD project.
He said more than 80 percent agricultural needs of Sindh province would be met from KBD. He underlined the need of motivating and educating the people. This, he viewed, could be done by ensuring Sindh water share from KBD, through a constitutional guarantee by the parliament.
Rehmat Khan Wardag paid tributes to President General Pervez Musharraf for his political acumen and statesmanship in taking out the country from political and economic chaos after October, 12,1999.
"Today Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves had gone over dollars 12.5 billion, and the ratio of corruption had also come down to a great extent", he remarked.
He called for complete national unity and consensus at this critical stage of our history and further advised the leadership of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) and ARD to lend a helping hand to the government to face internal and external threats to the country.
Rather, he suggested them to also strive together in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of quake survivors of AJK and NWFP.
TI leader also called for accelerating the peace process between India and Pakistan for resolution of all pending issues, including Kashmir in the interest of both the countries.
IT Senior Vice President Shad Muhammad Khan and Vice President Sindh, MYR Bhatti also attended the press conference.