Sindh Thar Coal Reserves; Ownership; Centre-Sindh rift; Assets equivalent 400 billion barrel of oil
14 05 2008Courtesy: SindhWeek.com, Issue#91, May 11/08
ISLAMABAD, PAK: [SindhWeek.Com Report] The dispute between the Pakistan People’s Party-led governments in Sindh and at the centre has resurfaced once again over the constitutional ownership of the 5th largest coal reserves in the world. In a recent communiqué with the central government, the Sindh government has raised serious objections on the announcement made by the federal water and power minister to hold an international conference on coal energy in Islamabad during the month of June to attract foreign investment. Sources terming it a first conventional dispute between provincial and federal governments run by PPP on the ownership of natural resources.
The issue of coal is a provinical subject and SIndh should get the required share. However, SIndh may not have the resources to explore coal, therefore
the Federal Government should facilitate sindh government in exploration of these resources to the fullest.In return the Federal government should be given its share which in anyc ase should not exceed 30% to ensure that the province benefit. The same should also apply to the Gas Reserves in Baluchistan.