Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif Tuesday agreed with lawmakers to hold an All Parties Conference (APC) for evolving consensus on construction of water reservoirs and effective strategy for water management in country.
“No doubt, there should be an APC on the water issue too, as it is called on other issues of national importance,” the minister said in response to APC suggestions of parliamentarians during the National Assembly (NA) debate on construction of new water reservoirs to overcome its scarcity.
The House had adopted the motion moved by Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to discuss the issue.
The minister said the issue was of great significance for all provinces as there were conflicting views among them on construction of new water dams. “Electricity problem will be solved in three to four years, but it seems that the water issue will take time to settle,” he remarked.
Earlier, lawmakers from both the opposition and treasury benches highlighted the importance of constructing new small and big water dams, besides improving the existing water management system.
As Jamaat-i-Islami (JI)’s Sher Akbar highlighted Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkwa’s reservations over Kala Bagh Dam (KBD), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)’s Abdul Sattar Bachani said construction of small dams at a minimum cost was more viable as compared to big reservoirs.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s Dr Muhammad Afzal Khan also stressed evolving consensus on KBD.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI)’s Dr Amjad Niazi highlighted importance of building new water reservoirs on war-footings as Qaumi Wattan Party (QWP)’s Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao termed water ‘life’ and underlined the need to build reservoirs at rivers Kabul and Swat.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F)’s Gohar Shah stressed construction of Munda Dam at the earliest while Awami Muslim League (AML)’s Sheikh Rashid Ahmed declared water a national issue.