Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Vice President Sherry Rehman criticised the proposal to construct six new canals without consulting relevant stakeholders…reports Asian Lite News
The Pakistan government’s plan to divert water from the Indus River for corporate farming sparked intense debate in the Senate on Tuesday, with lawmakers from various parties urging the matter to be resolved at the Council of Common Interests (CCI), according to Dawn.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Vice President Sherry Rehman criticised the proposal to construct six new canals without consulting relevant stakeholders. She expressed concerns over the potential water scarcity it could cause in Sindh, warning that it could displace millions and devastate agricultural productivity. Rehman demanded that the government address the issue at the CCI, noting the body hadn’t met for 11 months.
Rehman also accused the federal government of violating Sindh’s rights and pointed out the province’s vulnerability due to the Indus River System Authority’s (IRSA) mismanagement. She argued that the project could lead to desertification in Sindh by irrigating barren lands in Cholistan, which would further strain the province’s water resources.
Opposition Leader in the Senate, Syed Shibli Faraz, expressed confusion over Rehman’s complaints, considering her party’s role in the ruling coalition. He called for the CCI to resolve inter-provincial disputes, highlighting that the council’s secretariat was still not established.
Senator Kamran Murtaza of JUI-F noted that water distribution under the 1991 Water Accord already faced shortages, and the construction of new canals could exacerbate the issue. PPP Senator Jam Saifullah Khan warned that if the CCI did not address the matter, it could be taken to the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench, as unilateral decisions could have serious consequences.
PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui supported the view that Punjab’s construction of canals is permissible under the 1991 accord, while PTI Senator Ali Zafar echoed Rehman’s concerns about national water scarcity.
Minister for Water Resources Musadik Malik dismissed the opposition’s claims, clarifying that no new dams or link canals were being built on the Indus River. He stated that the Cholistan Canal is being constructed on the Sutlej River, using Punjab’s allocated water share, and assured that Sindh was not being deprived of its due share.
Malik also announced a forthcoming CCI meeting to address the issue. Rehman, however, called for the matter to be referred to a relevant committee for further discussion, demanding a specific date for the long-delayed CCI meeting.
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