SUKKUR, Sept 23: Sindh Chief Minister Ali Mohammad Mahar has said that dams are essential for the country and particularly Sindh which has faced an acute water shortage during the last couple of years.

Speaking at a press conference at circuit house here on Tuesday, he said that the technical committee would review and remove the apprehensions of Sindh over the issue after which construction of one of the dams would be started.

He said that the opposition to dam construction had no weight and different political parties were opposing the projects only to serve their vested interests.

On a question, he said that no doubt the provincial assemblies had passed resolutions against Kalabagh Dam but they should rise above it and keep national interest alone in the view.

He said that President Gen Pervez Musharraf would never ignore the interests of Sindh and was trying to build a consensus on the dam issue.

Mr Mahar said that the unification of the Pakistan Muslim League would have a long-lasting impact.

He said that the Sindh Democratic Alliance leaders including Imtiaz Shaikh had shown interest for joining the PML and they welcomed them.

In reply to another question, he said that elections would be held on time and he did not see early elections.

KUTCHI ABADIS: Later the chief minister announced at the Sukkur District Council session that Kutchi Abadis throughout Sindh would be regularized and provided basic amenities.

He said that he had ordered the officials of the Kutchi Abadi department, the DCOs and district Nazims to make arrangements for regularizing Kutchi Abadis in six months and a survey in this respect would be conducted soon.

He said that law and order was essential for speeding up the pace of industrial development in Sindh.

He said that the government had taken steps to ensure industrial peace.

He said that the Rohri Cement Factory had been privatized and it would soon be reopened by the successful bidder.

He said that he had made it clear that the factory should be run according to the agreement reached with the Privatization Commission and that its jobs were made available to the local youths on priority basis.

Mr Mahar said that the ban on jobs was also going to be lifted and around 30,000 vacant posts would be filled in due course on merit basis.

He said that Sindh had tremendous potential for investment and his government was offering maximum incentives to the prospective investors.

About the lack of facilities at the Sukkur SITE, the CM said that he would ask the departments concerned to immediately provide facilities at the industrial state.