LAHORE, Dec 18: MMA President Qazi Husain Ahmad has suggested presenting the report on water reservoirs to the Council of Common Interests. He was talking to reporters after speaking at a training workshop for district, tehsil and union-level leaders of the Jamaat at Mansoora here on Sunday.

Replying to a question about Federal Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad’s statement that the technical committee’s report on dams would be presented to parliament, the Qazi said he was not against the step.

However, he said, the council was a constitutional forum and the reports should be taken up at its meeting for developing a consensus among all provinces.

“Water is a precious resource, which must not go wasted. Where it should be stored and how all the provinces will be given their share should be arranged through a consensus and we shall extend our cooperation in this respect.”

Answering a question about NWFP Chief Minister Akram Durrani’s participation in the National Security Council meeting(s), the MMA chief said the issue would be taken up at Monday’s supreme council meeting of the grouping in Islamabad and all would abide by the decision taken there.

He told a questioner that the combined opposition had already been formed.

“All participating national leaders in the conference convened by us in Islamabad had agreed on forming a steering committee for the purpose.”

The committee had so far met twice and more meetings were under consideration for giving a practical shape to movement against dictatorship, he said.

Earlier, answering queries raised by the workshop participants, he said Gen Musharraf and his system would have to go regardless of the fact that the general election would be held in 2006 or 2007.

“For the elections to be held under the army ruler would give no better result than what we have seen in the local bodies and in bypolls.”

No more army general would be accepted after Gen Musharraf, he maintained, as the opposition’s movement would not be against any individual but against dictatorship.

Jamaat-i-Islami Secretary-General Munawwar Hasan said Islamic leadership should develop high characteristics among itself for bringing about a revolution in society. Provincial amir Liaquat Baloch regretted that the government had made the technical issue of Kalabagh dam a political one. He demanded that the government should remove reservations of the provinces about the water project.