HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Makhdoom Jameeluzzaman has asked the federal government for a comprehensive package for Sindh to help it resolve the water issue.

`It is the core issue which needs to be resolved at the earliest,` the Makhdoom stressed while talking to the media after presiding over a meeting of stakeholders of irrigation and agriculture at Makhdoom House on Sunday evening. The meeting was aimed at chalking out a comprehensive plan for development in Matiari district.

Calling for assessing the losses caused by the lingering water issue, he noted that Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had formed a team [of two ministers and an adviser] and assigned it the task of reviewing the situation regarding water requirement and availability in the province. He appreciated the initiative saying that the exercise would help the government chalk out a plan to save Sindh`s fertile landsfrom further destruction.

The MNA told the meeting that he would take up all issues, including water shortage, being faced by Sindh on the floor of the National Assembly.

Responding to various questions, he said that the provincial ministers concerned would be invited to Matiari district to apprise them of local population`s grievances. He noted that unavailability of safe drinking water and non-functional schools were also major issues of this district.

Makhdoom Jameeluzzaman held out the assurance that he would seek a list of all those schools which had been lying closed in Matiari and personally visit them to see how they could be made functional.

In reply to a question about PPP`s strategy for the Sept 4 election for the next president of Pakistan, he said his party had already fielded its candidate and all PPP lawmakers would cast their votes as per the top leadership`s directive. Regarding the candidate fielded by other components of the joint opposition, the MNA said:`There is no final word in politics . .

friendship or enmity do not matter in politics ... every political party has its own manifesto and each party has the right to support a party of its choice without deviating from its own policy`.The Makhdoom said that the PPP wanted to let the incumbent government at the Centre take its time [to fulfil its commitments to the masses] as was stated by PPP chairman Bilawal BhuttoZardari in his speech in theNational Assembly.

The PPP would review the government`s performance in its first 100 days and would continue to give it a free hand if it succeeded. In the other case, PPP reserved the right to challenge its policies, he added.

Earlier, Makhdoom Jameeluzzaman, who is also the spiritual head of the Sarwari Jamaat, discussed the district`s issues in detail with the stakeholders chairmen, deputy chairmen and members of the local government institutions as well as representatives of various organisations belonging to the district.

He was accompanied by provincial Minister for Revenue and Relief Makhdoom Mehboobuz Zaman.

He stressed the need for preparing a roadmap for addressing the issues and putting the area on the path of development and progress.

The meeting constituted a working committee under the chairmanship of Makhdoom Ahmed Zaman to seek development proposals from elected representatives of the district.