Musharraf wades into water conflict

By Zaffar Abbas BBC correspondent in Islamabad, Pakistan

Water is a precious commodity in Pakistan

Pakistan's President, General Pervez Musharraf, has asked the country's four provinces to resolve their differences over the distribution of water from the main River Indus and agree on the construction of at least two major dams.

In a speech on national radio and television, he described the rapidly dwindling water resources as the biggest threat to the country's progress and prosperity.

Political opinion in the country has remained divided on the issue and two of the smaller provinces of Sindh and North West Frontier say only the most prosperous and populated province of Punjab would benefit from such reservoirs.

During his 50-minute televised speech, President Musharraf neither touched upon the topical issue of Pakistan's role in the so-called war against terrorism, nor on the prevailing political crisis in the country.

His entire speech was devoted to one issue - Pakistan's growing water crisis.

Controversy

He described it as the single biggest challenge for the country and said the absence of sufficient water reservoirs was badly affecting the economy.

President Musharraf said because of silting in the riverbed and existing reservoirs, the reduction in water supply in the coming years was likely to create havoc in the country.

He said in 10 years' time Pakistan would need at least one big dam on the country's main River Indus in order to meet the demand.

The president said the feasibility of a big reservoir at Kalabagh was already there and another study for a reservoir at a place called Bhasha in the northern region would be ready by next year.

Conscious of the on-going controversy on the distribution of water between the provinces, President Musharraf said there is a need to have a consensus on the issue.

Violent protest

However, he declared that by next year construction work on at least one such water reservoir has to start in order to meet the shortfall.

The River Indus passes through three of the country's four provinces.

The construction of big water reservoirs on the river has remained the single biggest cause of friction between the provinces of Punjab and two smaller provinces of Sindh and the North West Frontier.

Politicians and experts in the smaller provinces say new reservoirs would deprive the southern province of Sindh of its share of water.

Previous attempts to build a dam at Kalabagh had resulted in violent protests in the smaller provinces and President Musharraf's suggestion to build more reservoirs in the coming years is likely to spark fresh inter-provincial controversy on the issue.