August 27, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-us-Sani 28, 1424

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HYDERABAD, Aug 26: President Gen Pervez Musharraf reiterated his view here on Tuesday that the Legal Framework Order was a part and parcel of the Constitution, and without it, the October elections could stand invalidated.

Speaking at a news conference at the Hyderabad district Nazim’s secretariat during his visit to the city, the president pointed out that if the LFO was repealed, joint electorates, women’s representation in assemblies and 10 million additional voters also could have to go.

He said the Supreme Court had given him the authority to amend the Constitution without bringing about any structural changes and that was exactly what he had done to the best of his abilities.

When asked whether Pakistan would send troops to Iraq, the president said at present there was no such move. He said all aspects of the issue would be considered and a final decision in this respect would be taken by parliament and the people of Pakistan.

The president made it clear that the country, specially Sindh and 70 per cent of the population associated with the agriculture sector, could not survive if new water reservoirs were not constructed before the storage capacity of Tarbela and Mangla dams was exhausted.

The main thrust of President Musharraf’s 100-minute discourse was on evolving national harmony and consensus on the water issue.

He said Sindh had played a historic role not only in the creation of Pakistan but also in its consolidation and the interests of the province could never be ignored.

Gen Musharraf said he could say with confidence that Sindh had received more than its due right not only of water but also of other resources since he assumed power.

He said he was a Sindhi and had ensured that Sindh must get its rights. “I guarantee that Sindh will receive more than its rights in every walk of life and there should be no doubt whatsoever about this.”

He said Punjab, as an elder brother, had rendered sacrifices for Sindh and shown magnanimity and large heartedness, as an elder brother should do.

The president said if the water storage capacity was not enhanced, Sindh and its farming community would be the worst sufferers.

When it was suggested by a questioner that the facts and figures provided to him on the water issue were incorrect, the president said there were two versions on the quantity of water available.

According to one version, the total availability of water stood at 144maf while, according to the other, it was 123maf. “But keeping aside the issue of availability of water, the most pertinent aspect is how much of Indus water is going into the sea.”

If we had more reservoirs, Sindh would not have witnessed the disaster it experienced during the last three years, he asserted.

Responding to another question about constitution of a technical committee, the president clarified that it had not been constituted for the building of Kalabagh dam but to formulate proposals on all aspects of the water issue, including distribution and sharing of water resources, Thal canal, construction of dams and release of water downstream of Kotri.

When his attention was drawn to the fact that the Sindh Assembly had adopted resolutions against the construction of Kalabagh dam and Thal canal, the president posed a counter question as to what would happen if the Punjab Assembly adopted a resolution that the construction of the Right Bank Outfall Drain, Rainee canal, Kachhi canal and other development projects should be stopped.

He said the water issue was a national issue and should be taken seriously and resolved in a civilized way, keeping in view all pros and cons.

He said the Thal canal was an integral part of the 1991 Water Accord and was meant for the poor people of Punjab.

He added that the Thal, Rainee and Kachhi canals were floodwater canals and would be fed through water share of each province.

Responding to another question suggesting that Punjab should be divided into more provinces, the president said that creation of more provinces was not a novel proposal and asked how would Sindh feel if more provinces were also created out of it.

He said no agreement existed between him and Nawaz Sharif or Benazir Bhutto, adding that even otherwise they stood disqualified under the LFO to seek a third term as prime minister.