May 25, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 19, 1429

MULTAN, May 24: The Punjab’s demand for an increase in water share is completely genuine and the federal government should respond positively to this effect.

This was said by former federal minister and parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), Jahangir Khan Tareen, in a press release here on Saturday.

Mr Tareen said the farming community of Rahim Yar Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh and other areas of southern Punjab were facing hardships due to shortage of water at tail-end.

He said the ruling party members should visit villages of the southern Punjab to know as to how water shortage coupled with power crisis had created miserable conditions for farmers.

“The water level is improving in the Indus so the federal government should immediately accept the Punjab’s demand for increase in water share.”

He said if the water crisis continued, it would severely affect productivity of cotton and other crops.

“It is obligatory on the part of the federal government to evolve a comprehensive mechanism for the provision of water in the area.”