ISLAMABAD, Sept 30: Chances for resolving the issue of constructing water reservoirs are bright if Punjab initiates a direct political dialogue with other provinces on the water issue, .

This was stated by Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Kunwar Khalid Yunus while talking to this correspondent on Tuesday.

“Punjab has a big responsibility ... (in this regard) ... it has to go into a dialogue with Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP without the Centre’s interference (and) I see no reason why issues like the construction of Kalabagh dam, Thal canal and water apportionment cannot be resolved,” he said.

Stressing the need for the Punjab to earn greater trust of other provinces, he said that the development of mistrust was normal if such projects was proposed by the largest province in the federation.

Terming national consensus vital in this regard, he said Punjab should take the initiative and increase its interaction with other provinces.

Kunwar Khalid Yunus, while cautiously discussing what he termed “sensitive” problems, said that these issues had already created an atmosphere of fear among smaller provinces.

Parrying questions about the Kalabagh dam project and his party’s position in this regard, he said: “I strongly believe ... the governments in the past have deeply politicized the (Kalabagh dam) project. They took political advantage of the issue ... opposing the dam’s construction while they were in the opposition and allocating funds while they were in power. They deliberately kept the vital question of water shortage unresolved for political reasons.”

The government of Gen Pervez Musharraf was the first in decades that had taken up the project “sincerely and on merit,” linking it with overall water shortage in the future, he said.

Focussing on the environmental problems, he said issues, including evacuation of a large number of people should be tackled prior to the execution of the Kalabagh dam project.

He said in the absence of proper planning in this regard, the settlement of the affected people would be a big problem and burden on other provinces, adding that the majority of the people ejected after the construction of the Mangla and Tarbela dams had settled in Karachi.

The MQM leader expressed the fear that if the dam was constructed at Kalabagh, it would create water shortages in many parts of the country.

Kanwar Khalid Yunus also hinted at Pakistan, Bangladesh and India entering into a working arrangement to save the river water wastage, saying these countries were facing water shortages and needed additional reservoirs, adding that after the return of normalcy between them, they could work together to improve their economies that were largely based on agriculture.