May 28, 2003	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 25,1424

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THATTA, May 27: The provincial minister for culture and tourism, Shabbir Ahmed Qaimi, has said that the Sindh government shall retain the possession of the Keenjhar Lake and would never even consider any proposal to entrust its custody to the district government, Thatta.

He said this while addressing a press conference at the Keenjhar Lake here on Tuesday.

Referring to a resolution adopted by the District Council Thatta in its last session demanding handing over of the lake to the district government, the minister said, “Let them pass resolutions, it will make no difference. The Sindh government was competent enough to manage the lake.”

He said the MQM had no grudge against the Shirazis, who were also the coalition partners of the government, and it believes that the Shirazis, who were a dominating political factor in Thatta district, should coordinate with the MQM in Thatta at least.

He said that we have our own political agenda and it is no mystery that the provincial government was being run with the support of “MQM crunches”.

He claimed the MQM through its untiring services was gaining ground in interior Sindh.

He said the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation in coordination with other related departments has made comprehensive plans, including an STDC-assisted air-conditioned coach service from Karachi to the Keenjhar Lake, air safari service, funland, massive tree plantation, medical facilities, lifeboats, divers, hotels and motels plus boating facility to invite more and more tourists from within the country and abroad, to generate revenues, and provide employment to locals.

He said the government was also actively studying extending and enhancing the reservoirs’ storage capacity to cope up with any possible water crises.

He said that the lake was a major source of water supply for Karachi metropolitan, besides having over 300,000 acres of land for irrigation in its command area.