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No province will be deprived of its water share, says Gilani

* Prime minister says govt will follow 1991 accord for water distribution
* Says water shortage resolved after consultations with Punjab chief minister, president

By Zulfiqar Ghuman

ISLAMABAD: The government will ensure no province is deprived of its due share of water, and will utilise the 1991 Water Accord to ensure equitable distribution of water, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Friday.

“I assure the House that no province will be given water from the share of any other province. The government will follow the 1991 Water Accord in letter and spirit for distribution of water among the provinces,” he told the National Assembly while responding to points of orders raised by various lawmakers. Admitting to a temporary water shortage in the country, the prime minister said he had resolved the situation after consultations with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari. The premier said he would also convene a meeting of Indus River System Authority (IRSA) and Water and Power Ministry officials to discuss their grievances.

Gilani said forums such as the Council of Common Interests and the National Finance Commission could be utilised to discuss and resolve such issues. He said the National Assembly speaker had formed the parliamentary committee for constitutional reforms, adding the committee would elect its own chairman in a bid to strengthen democracy.

The prime minister also applauded the opposition for helping the government pass the budget unanimously. Referring to reports of corruption and relief items intended for internally displaced persons (IDPs) being sold in the open market, he asked the speaker to expunge such remarks from the record. He said transparency and credibility in the distribution of relief items was vital for international support. “Such remarks can send negative signals to the donors,” he added.

Also on Friday, Opposition leader in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the government should allow parliament to frame policy, and not rely on “dictation” from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. He also demanded that the 20 percent raise in perks announced for parliamentarians be donated to the IDPs. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Babar Awan, in response, said he had no objection to transferring the raise to the IDPs if there was consensus among all stakeholders.

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