LAHORE, Jan 1: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Sunday stressed the need for constructing “maximum number” of water reservoirs to check poverty and “usher in an era of prosperity and economic development”. “We shall take all the parties along in the larger national interest and try to sort out their reservations on the issue of dams,” Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told reporters at the residence of the Punjab Chief Minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, after holding a meeting with him.

Referring to the issues discussed with the Punjab chief minister, the prime minister said he had “a very useful meeting” in which he had discussed issues like education, health and development in the province.

Appreciating the Punjab chief minister for pursuing welfare-oriented policies, the prime minister said they also discussed the issue of water reservoirs.

Referring to the government’s announcement regarding the revival of the Council of Common Interest, Mr Aziz said: “It will also provide an effective forum to help resolve certain issues besides coordinating inter-provincial matters between the federal and the provincial governments.” Shaukat Aziz said PML issues, especially in reference to Monday’s meeting in the Senate and its implications, and overall national issues were also discussed in the meeting.

“We are working on constructing water reservoirs, which are badly needed. Plans are being made for two or three dams which would be announced after they are finalised,” the prime minister said.

“It is our earnest desire to go ahead on the issue of dams by taking all the parties (concerned) into confidence and by removing their reservations in a pleasant atmosphere,” Mr Aziz said.

“If we are keen to eliminate poverty, we will have to construct dams and distribute water in a transparent manner,” he said.

He said the government was making advances in this regard and would take along all the segments of the society to find out a positive solution of the issue. Every decision would be made in the larger interest of the country, he added. “However, we will also consider reservations of some people,” the Prime Minister said.—APP