ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz claimed on Sunday that a consensus was likely on the construction of major water reservoirs, including Kalabagh dam. He was responding to reporters’ questions after meeting with the visiting UN Foundation (UNF) delegation led by its chairman and founder of the Cable News Network, Ted Turner.

Stressing the need for developing water reservoirs, he said they were vital to safeguard the country’s agriculture sector, adding the government will consult all stakeholders take politicians into confidence before taking any decision.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said he was satisfied after his meetings with political leaders and representatives of the Sindh government in Karachi. He expressed the hope that a breakthrough was possible in government-opposition talks on the parliamentary committee on earthquake by next week. He said that he had already contacted Maulana Fazlur Rahman on the issue.

He said that the campaign was not limited to any particular dam but it was aimed at the formulation of a national water policy under which a number of large- and medium-scale water reservoirs could be built to meet the country’s future water needs.

He said the issue would be debated in the parliament and a report would be publicised in Sindhi, Urdu and English to elicit people’s reaction and mobilise public opinion.

Earlier, Mr Turner said he was “very much impressed” by the Pakistani government’s tackling in the wake of the earthquake.

Mr Turner, who arrived in the federal capital on Sunday was accompanied by Dr Yunas, a renowned Bagladeshi micro-economist, advisor to the UN secretary-general Begum Nasfees Sadiq, former Norwegian prime minister and others.

He said: “It is amazing that most of rubble in the quake-affected areas has been removed in 70 days.”

Prime minister introduced Mr Turner as a pioneer media magnate in the US who had contributed $1 billion towards the UN Fund for fighting diseases and who had set new trends in electronic media.

Mr Turner complimented the people, the army and the government of Pakistan on their tackling the difficult situation “so quickly and so perfectly” in a way that was better than what the Americans could have done.

Earlier, Mr Turner reportedly congratulated Mr Aziz on doing a “good job of” running the country, adding: “We are extremely happy.”

The prime minister highlighted the government’s achievements in areas of economic reforms, micro-economic policies and social sector development.