LAHORE, Nov 8: PML-Q leader Pervaiz Elahi says the government should not give further latitude to India on the water issue in view of its disastrous effects on agriculture.

Addressing a consultative meeting of party office-bearers and ticket holders from Multan and Lodhran districts here on Saturday, the former chief minister said Punjab was suffering the most on account of suspension of river water by India, but its rulers were silent spectators to the havoc it was bound to play with agriculture in the province.

He said India was flagrantly violating the Indus Water Treaty, and its stance on the issue was similar to that on Kashmir. It had not only refused to provide information about suspending Chenab water flow but had also declined to inform about arrival and discharge of water at Baglihar Dam. He said agriculture could help Pakistan stand on its feet, but the government had not bothered to evolve a policy to resolve its crisis.

The construction of big dams was necessary not only for storing river water for agriculture but also for generating cheap hydel power. Pakistan would not be able to defend its economic frontiers if the present government failed to build the dams announced by the PML-Q regime.

He regretted that the government was playing havoc with agriculture by increasing problems for farmers. The agriculture sector was threatened due to shortage of canal water on the one hand and farmers could not meet the water requirements by operating tube-wells owing to high cost of diesel and electricity on the other.