ISLAMABAD, Dec 15: The government has decided to make public reports of two committees on water resources in an effort to mobilize public opinion in favour of construction of new water reservoirs in the country. Federal Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told newsmen that a decision to this effect had been taken at a meeting chaired by President Gen Pervez Musharraf on Thursday. The meeting discussed the future water strategy of the country.

The minister said the reports of the technical committee on water resources, headed by A.N.G. Abbasi, and the parliamentary committee on water resources, headed by Senator Nisar Memon would be made public soon.

Giving details of the meeting, Mr Ahmed said the participants had stressed the need for building at least two to three big dams in the country by the year 2020.

Mr Ahmed said it had also been decided that political parties and media persons would be contacted to mobilise their opinion on this issue.

Online adds: The minister said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would soon convene an all-parties conference to take the opposition into confidence on the matter of building major water reservoirs.

“Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will soon convene an all-parties conference and the opposition will be given in-camera briefing,” Mr Ahmed told reporters on Thursday.

He said that President Musharraf, chief ministers and federal and provincial ministers would approach the masses and tell them about the need for new water reservoirs.

Referring to technical and parliamentary committees’ reports on construction of new dams and its feasibility, he said that the documents would be issued with the purpose of updating the nation.

Thursday’s three-hour meeting on future water strategy was attended among others by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Pakistan Muslim League chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, PML secretary general Mushahid Hussain Syed, chief ministers of Sindh and Punjab, Senate Chairman Muhammadmian Soomro and Privatization Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh.

Mr Ahmed said the meeting discussed in detail the requirements of water reservoirs in reference to the 2020 strategy and construction of different dams, including Kalabagh.

Participants of the meeting said that although the construction of water reservoirs was a sensitive matter the completion of such projects would help irrigate tens of thousands of acres of land, according to the minister.

Commenting on the Kohlu rocket attacks which occurred when President Musharraf was present in the area, he said: “This is the handiwork of anti-state elements that are hampering progress in Balochistan and national development.”

He warned that elements creating instability in the country would be dealt with sternly.

“Sardars don’t want see poor segments of society get educated because they have pursued a policy of subjugating the poor and keeping them impoverished forever, but this nasty game will be eliminated at every cost,” he said.