KARACHI, Dec 12: The governments of Sindh and Balochistan have decided to settle all issues, including water and settlement claims, and set up a committee comprising representatives of irrigation and power, finance and public health engineering departments.

The decision was taken at a meeting held here between the chief secretaries of Sindh and Balochistan. The secretaries of fisheries and livestock, irrigation and power and inter-provincial coordination of both the provinces also attended the meeting.

The meeting decided that secretaries of various departments would hold monthly meetings, and the chief secretaries would meet every six weeks.

This was a follow-up development of the Quetta meeting held last month between Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Mohammad Yusuf, Sindh Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Dr Sohrab Sarki and secretaries concerned. The Balochistan government in the meeting had claimed that Rs9 billion of the province had been outstanding against Sindh on account of Hub Dam water royalty.

Earlier, a Balochistan minister informed journalists that Balochistan had filed a claim of Rs23 billion against Sindh for using water of its share from Pat Feeder and Khirthar canals. He said Balochistan was getting 28 per cent water only against its share of 72 per cent from the Hub Dam and likewise 37 per cent water from the Khirthar Canal while 63 per cent of its water had been pilfered.

In the Karachi meeting, the two chief secretaries – Fazalur Rehman and K. B. Rind – discussed coordination and cooperation between the two provinces.

Mr Rind maintained that issues should be discussed and resolved in a cordial manner.

He also said that a peaceful and friendly atmosphere could help in resolving issues to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.