SUKKUR, April 11: Federal Water and Power Minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi was briefed on the repair work of the Sukkur Barrage here on Monday. The briefing was given by Brig Jawed Ashraf Bajwa, Commander of the Frontier Works Organization Task Force on Rehabilitation of the Sukkur Barrage. The minister praised President Gen Pervez Musharraf for ordering immediate repair of the Sukkur Barrage which, he said, was the lifeline for Sindh agriculture.

He also hailed army engineers and the FWO for the work they had so far carried out. He maintained that the FWO had ensured quality in the work and had saved Rs125 million out of the total allocation of Rs887 million which, he said, was a proof of the team’s sincerity and professionalism.

Mr Jatoi said he would host a grand function for the FWO army engineering team and other coordinating agencies like the irrigation department and civilians on completion of the rehabilitation work of the barrage.

He said the consultant would submit a report by November 2005 about long-term measures needed for maintenance of the barrage. Answering a question about action against negligent officials, he said the matter related to the Sindh government.