KARACHI, Jan 17: MQM leader Altaf Hussain welcomed President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s decision to give priority to Bhasha and Munda dams and termed it a “historic victory”for the people of Pakistan, especially of smaller provinces.

He said this during a telephonic address to a gathering at the party’s headquarters soon after the president’s televised speech here on Tuesday.

According to a press release, he thanked President Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and the federal cabinet for accepting the people’s verdict against the Kalabagh dam. His addresss was simultaneously relayed to party supporters in Hyderabad.

“It’s a historic victory for the people of the country, especially Sindh,” he said. He said he was happy that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had earned the credit for “forcing the abandonment of Kalabagh dam,” a press release quoted him as saying. He congratulated the people of Sindh who, according to him, had stood by the MQM in opposing the Kalabagh dam and said that once again “Altaf Hussain has proven that he means business.”