September 20, 2008	Saturday	Ramazan 19, 1429

HYDERABAD, Sept 19: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that Sindh will take its water case to Council of Common Interests (CCI) to ensure that the tail-ender province recieves its due share of water in accordance with the 1991 Water Accord.

He said that Kalabagh dam issue had been deleted from the PPP’s dictionary and the dispute over it had been settled once and for all.

He was responding to the queries of journalists at an Iftar dinner, hosted by Sindh Fisheries Minister and party’s district president Zahid Ali Bhurgari at Hyderabad Club here Friday night.

“We will take the water issue of Sindh to the CCI because it has been our demand when we were struggling from platform of anti-greater Thal canal and Kalabagh dam action committee that it should be decided by the CCI. I think that the CCI would soon be formed on the pattern of NFC”, he told a journalist when he was asked that whether he would see that greater Thal canal should be closed as per the committee’s demand.

He said that the Sindh governor would ensure that Sindh should get full share of water for Rabi season in the wake of reports of impending water shortage in forthcoming Rabi season. “Water is a very sensitive issue that’s why we want that it should be decided by the CCI”, he said. He predicted that Sindh would produce 40 per cent more rice crop this year and the country would earn foreign exchange.

To a question that federal water and power minister has submitted a reply in the National Assembly about construction of Kalabagh dam as per year 2006 decision of federal cabinet, he said that word Kalabagh dam had been deleted from PPP’s dictionary because announcement by federal minister was reflective of decision of PPP, its government and its central executive committee. “If you want he (federal minister) could once again announce that it has been shelved. The issue has been resolved now once and for all”, he replied. He further said: “I am making this statement with responsibility because I am chief minister of this province”.

About NFC award, he said that Sindh government wanted that resource distribution formula should be based on multiple factors. He said that he would also try to persuade his Punjab counterpart, Shahbaz Sharif that it should not be based on population alone. “Besides population, backwardness, performance and collection should also be given weightage because these are recognised principles”, he said.

He said that previous government didn’t announce NFC award because it was inept so much so that its four chief ministers authorised the president to announce it. He said that PPP had taken up the issue at the first instance with prime minister. He expressed the hope that if any side is having a tough stance over the issue it would be persuaded as well so that NFC award is announced as soon as possible. “Democratic principles must be respected by all”, he remarked.

About privatisation of Qadirpur gas field, he confirmed that it was being privatised and its royalty would be paid to Sindh because gas is a federal subject and OGDC being a federal government entity had worked on it very hard. “It’s the era of privatisation and late Z.A.Bhutto had talked about mixed economy but nowadays this concept is being promoted under the name of public-private partnership”, he said.

He said that if gas field is privatised then income from it would be utilised countrywide given the fact that gas is not only natural resource but a national resource as well. He hinted that gas field’s privatisation would be a joint venture.