ISLAMABAD: Minister for Economic Affairs Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday categorically rejected the impression created by the Punjab government that the Centre was responsible for the lapse of a $200 million loan Asian Development Bank loan for the Greater Thal Canal project.

Speaking in the National Assembly on a point of order, My Ayaz said the ADB’s soft loan could still be secured if Punjab and Sindh develop a consensus on this important project.

The federal government is ready to facilitate this process, he added.

He said the Punjab government was responsible for the lapse of the loan as ADB was still agreeing to lend money with the condition of evolving consensus between the Punjab and Sindh provinces.

“The Punjab government’s representative did not attend even a single meeting despite pressing by the federal government. The $200mn could help irrigate a vast barren land of Punjab”, he said.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2022