LAHORE, Jan 19: The PPP is against the construction of Bhasha dam too. Speaking at a press conference here on Thursday, Punjab PPP chief and opposition leader Qasim Zia said the decision to construct the reservoir had been taken by an individual without developing a national consensus.

“Building the dam is not right until all the federating units are agreed on it.”

Criticizing Pervaiz Elahi, he said the chief minister should give his own stance on Kalabagh dam instead of levelling allegations against the PPP for opposing the project.

He said all chief ministers except that of Punjab had a clear stance on the dam but Mr Elahi was trying to hoodwink the masses by chiding the PPP for supporting opponents of the reservoir.

His party, Mr Zia said, had always given top priority to solidarity of the federation over any other concern or project and had been against any step that might damage it.

Even allies of the ruling PML were openly against the water reservoir, he said.

Zia also criticized the chief minister for not properly taking up the province’s case on NFC award issue and challenged the latter to have an open discussion with him on “who is more sincere with national interest” at any forum.

Lahore PPP secretary-general and MPA Samiullah Khan said Punjab rulers had disappointed Gen Musharraf by not mobilizing masses for the Kalabagh dam.

He claimed that Gen Musharraf would now activate forward bloc in the Punjab Assembly against the incumbent chief minister.