KARACHI, Dec 17: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s meetings with Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and Pir Sahab Pagara here on Saturday evoked mixed feelings of the two veteran politicians over the Kalabagh dam issue.

Speaking to newsmen after his meeting with Pakistan Muslim League (F) chief Pir Pagara held at the Kingri House, the prime minister said construction of water reservoirs was essential for the development of agriculture sector that was responsible for two-thirds of the country’s overall economy.

“The agriculture sector will progress only when resources are available to meet the growing water requirement of the sector,” he said.

Mr Aziz held out assurance that everyone would be taken along on the issue of water reservoirs, and emphasized that due to the lack of enough reservoirs, a huge quantity of water was lost.

Pir Pagara, it is learnt, welcomed government’s decision to make the reports of parliamentary and technical committees public together with the report on the study of water downstream Kotri.

In reply to a question after the meeting, which was held in ‘pleasant’ atmosphere, Mr Aziz said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was part of the government and was with it on all the issues, including construction of water reservoirs.

On the other hand, former caretaker prime minister and National People’s Party chief Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi is reported to have opposed the Kalabagh dam during his about 30-minute meeting with the prime minister and lent support to the Bhasha dam project.

Mr Jatoi reminded the prime minister of the strong opposition to the Kalabagh dam by the people of Sindh in the past and advised him not to opt for a project that would generate animosity between provinces and create instability.

Mr Jatoi, it is learnt, asked the prime minister to go for the Bhasha dam. Bhasha, he said, would not only store more water, but would also generate more electricity.

Mr Jatoi said integrity of the country was more important than a dam. According to Mr Jatoi, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz informed him about various options being considered by the government to overcome water shortage in the future.

He said that on Monday, President Musharraf would be meeting with Senators and MNAs to discuss the issue. Mr Aziz did not talk to the media after meeting with Mr Jatoi.

Mr Jatoi, who was assisted by his family members, said Sindh would never support the Kalabagh dam because it would be tantamount to signing death warrant.

Political analysts were attaching significance to Pir Pagara’s support for the controversial dam because they think it would significant bearing on the future political dispensation in the province in which Mr Pagara’s role would be crucial.