KARACHI, Nov 9: The Vice-President of the Pakistan Muslim League, Sindh, Nawab Shabir Ahmed Chandio, on Tuesday said no unilateral decision would be accepted on the construction of the Kalabagh Dam.

"It is a national issue, and must be resolved amicably with consensus among all the federating units," he said, while talking to newsmen at an Iftar party hosted by PML leader Haji Younus Baloch at a local hotel.

It was a fact, he said, that the country was faced with acute water shortage; the existing water reservoirs had silted up and the country needed new water storages, but before taking any final decision, he added that, the government should satisfy the people of Sindh, who had reservations over the Kalabagh dam project, he added.

He categorically stated that they (people of Sindh) would never accept any unilateral decision over the issue.

He criticized the Pakistan Peoples Party for the way in which it had been raising the Kalabagh issue in the Sindh province only, and said it (PPP) was itself divided over the issue.

"The division inside the PPP over the Kalabagh dam would come to the surface if it tabled any resolution in the parliament, where even its own members will not support the resolution," he viewed.

Mr Chandio, a former MNA who was in politics for over 27 years from the platform of the PPP, and had parted ways to join the PML, said the PPP had drifted from politics of principles. He claimed that the party (PPP) no more had roots in the masses, and said it would further lose popular support in the coming days.

When asked to comment on a statement by the Sindh National Front Chief, Mumtaz Ali Bhutto, that turncoats of the PML were contacting the PPP after reports that some deal was going to take place between the latter and the government, Mr Chandio denied having received such any reports.

The PML leader was confident that his party would give a tough time to the PPP even in the Larkana district in the next elections, and added that he would himself be visiting various districts of the province after Eid-ul-Fitr to unite anti-PPP forces.

He denied having been contacted by the PPP leadership to rejoin the party, and categorically stated that he would not join the PPP even if it came into power.

He said that the PML Secretary General, Mushahid Hussain, was scheduled to visit Larkana after eid to sort out organizational matters.

When asked to comment on reports that Mr Hussain was trying to strike a deal with the PPP, Mr Chandio said the country needed consensus over certain national issues, and if the party (PML) leadership decides to patch up with the PPP, he would certainly support his party's decision.

Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister Sultan Ahmed Khawar and other PML leaders also attended. - PPI