KARACHI / GUJAR KHAN: The frosty relationship between coalition partners PML-N and PPP over the distribution of Indus River water showed signs of a thaw on Sunday, as senior leaders from both sides made direct contact and agreed to resolve the issue through dialogue.

The breakthrough came after Prime Minister`s Adviser Rana Sanaullah phoned senior Sindh minister Sharjeel Inam Memon just a day after PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif directed the federal government to initiate talks with the PPP andavoid political point-scoring on `such a sensitive national issue`.

According to a statement issued by the Sindh information ministry, Mr Sanaullah, who also heads the PML-N`s Punjab chapter, assured Mr Memon that the federal government was ready to discuss Sindh`s concerns over the controversialcanalprojects.He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had insisted that Sindh`s concerns must be addressed and resolved.

While the PPP ranks welcomed the initiative taken by the PML-N leadership, the Sindh information ministry`s statementindicated no shift in PPP`s stance, suggesting that the party remains firm in its position and will not settle for anything less than the complete shelving of the canals project over the Indus River.

`The Sindh government has already presented its stance on the canalissue at every relevant forum, the statement quoted Mr Memon as saying.

`Both the PPP and the people of Sindh have serious reservations over the controversial canal projects. The PPP demands a fair water distribution for the people of Sindh under the 1991 Water Accord and is ready to negotiate with the federal government to address the issue,` he said.

The PML-N showed signs of flexibility on the canal projects after PPP Chairman Bilawal BhuttoZardari issued a strong public warning to the federal government during a rally in Hyderabad last week, vowing that his party would withdraw from the coalition if PM Shehbaz did not scrap the plan to build new canals on the Indus River.

PML-N promises inclusion Separately, State Minister for Railways Bilal Azhar Kiyani said the PML-N-led federal government would not take unilateral decisions on the matter and would take the PPP on board to reach a viable solution.

Talking to reporters in Dina tehsil of Jhelum district on Sunday, the minister said that PPP has been a key coalition partner of the PML-N since the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance andhispartyhadgreatrespectfor the PPP.

`Any decision on the matter would be made after consultations with the PPP,` he said. `Talks on the technical, policy and political levels would be held, and not a single drop from Sindh`s water share would be compromised.

Mr Kiyani noted that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar had already clarified in the National Assembly that the PPP would be consulted before finalising any plans related to canal construction.

The state minister also attempted to allay concerns from the farming community, reiterating that agriculture has been a top priority for PML-N governments.

He cited initiatives such as subsidised tractors, the `Kisan Card` and the establishment of `AgriMalls` as evidence of the party`s support for farmers.

He highlighted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had arranged internships for over 1,000 agriculture professionals in China to equip them with modern farming techniques.

He said the premier also held a detailed meeting with agriculture stakeholders to seek input for improvements. He reiterated that any concerns or grievances of the farmers would be addressed and resolved through mutual consultations.

Mr Kiyani also inaugurated a link road project in Dina. He claimed that only the PML-N governments during the last three decades had worked for the economic uplift of the masses and infrastructure development in the country.