ISLAMABAD, Nov 29: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has taken Sindh and Punjab into confidence about his decision to construct Kalabagh or Bhasha dam and asked the two governments to take on board their respective cabinets on the issue.

Informed sources told Dawn that President Musharraf chaired a meeting at his camp office in Rawalpindi on Tuesday and discussed the country’s future water requirements.

Prominent among those who attended the meeting were Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, ruling Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, Water and Power Minister Liaquat Ali Jatoi, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and National Security Council secretary Tariq Aziz.

The president examined the various points raised in the A.N.G. Abbasi Report on big dams and listened to the views of the governor and chief minister of Sindh on these issues.

The meeting also reviewed the findings of three technical studies that suggested 8.6 million acre feet of mandatory water below Kotri to avoid sea intrusion and other environmental risks.

After the meeting, the governor and chief minister of Sindh declined a media request to talk about the proceedings.

According to the sources, President Musharraf would also consult other stakeholders to finalize a plan to announce the construction of a big dam soon after his visit to Arab states next week.

These sources said that the president had also apprised the governor and chief minister of Punjab about his decision over the past two days.

The chief ministers of Punjab and Sindh have been asked to take their cabinet colleagues into confidence and enhance contacts with people.

The sources said that chairmen of parliamentary and technical committees on water resources, Nisar Memon and A.N.G. Abbasi, would also be invited to a meeting of governors and chief ministers next month.

The president is likely to hold meetings with the governor and chief minister of the NWFP on Wednesday on the issue.