PMLN, PPP agree to talk out canals issue

By News Desk

LAHORE/KARACHI: In an encouraging development contributing towards strengthening the Federation, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have agreed to move ahead together in view of the country’s prevailing situation and talk out the controversial canals issue.

The fifth sitting of PMLN-PPP Coordination Committee took place at the Governor’s House here on Sunday in which the federal government assured the PPP of addressing its reservations about the canals issue.

Former prime minister and PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider, PPP Secretary Information Nadeem Afzal Chan, PPP Punjab General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza, PPP Punjab parliamentary leader Syed Ali Haider Gilani, and PMLN leaders, Rana Sanaullah Khan, Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, IG Punjab Dr Usman and senior officials attended the meeting.

The PPP leadership conveyed Sindh’s concern over the canals issue to the PMLN leadership and suggested that all the four provinces should sit on the negotiating table for its resolution and anything detrimental to the interests of the Federation should be avoided.

The PPP leadership also conveyed that matters related to the provinces should be discussed in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting.

The PPP leadership also talked about the local government legislation and demanded polls in Punjab. It is noteworthy that on the canals issue, PPP leadership, including Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, have publicly voiced their concern, and some party stalwarts have even suggested that the party should quit the coalition government if the Centre does not accept Sindh’s demands in this regard.

The PMLN is the ruling party in the Centre and Punjab. The PPP has over 80 MNAs in the 336-member National Assembly, and if it withdraws its support, the Shehbaz Sharif government will lose majority.

The meeting also discussed the issues related to the transfer and postings of officials.

In the previous sittings of the coordination committee, the PPP had demanded share in the development funds and wanted appointment of officials of its own choice in Punjab’s districts like Gujjar Khan, Sargodha, Attock, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan and a few more districts of South Punjab.

Talking to the media after the meeting, Syed Hassan Murtaza and Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan said both the sides had agreed to move ahead for Pakistan. Malik Ahmad said the PPP’s concerns about the canals should be addressed.

Syed Hassan Murtaza said the country was already facing water scarcity and it was not appropriate to build canals over water reservoirs that could displease the people.

Geo News adds: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah and Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon Sunday talked about resolving the long-standing issue concerning the distribution and management of water resources through canals.

Sanaullah said Premier Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) supremo Nawaz Sharif had instructed him to alleviate Sindh’s concerns about the canal issue.

He expressed the federal government’s willingness for equitable distribution of resources, including water, among all the provinces. “We believe in fair distribution of resources, including water, among all units.”

On the other hand, Memon said the Sindh government had consistently presented its stance on the canal issue at every available forum. He also highlighted strong reservations of his party and the people of Sindh on the issue. “The PPP and people of Sindh have serious reservations on the controversial canals,” he said.

Sharjeel further said the PPP demanded fair distribution of water as per the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord for the people of Sindh and expressed the provincial government’s willingness to engage in talks with the federal government.

Sanaullah stressed the importance of resolving the issue through discussions. “We should not politicise the water issue. Matters should be resolved by sitting at the table,” he said. He also acknowledged the PPP’s role as a part of the federation, urging its leaders to act responsibly while holding constitutional positions.

Moreover, he said the federal government respected the PPP leadership and believed the 1991 water accord and Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Act ensured fairness. “With the 1991 agreement between the provinces and Irsa Act in place, there can be no injustice to anyone.”

He affirmed that no province’s water could be allocated to another and that the country had constitutional mechanisms and laws to prevent such occurrences. “Dialogue and consultation are the solution to every problem,” he concluded.

The Centre has offered dialogue two days after the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari warned that his party would part ways with the ruling coalition if the federal government failed to address its reservations about the controversial canals project.

The issue concerns the federal government’s plan to divert water from the Indus River by constructing six canals to irrigate the Cholistan desert — a project opposed by its key ally, the PPP, and several nationalist parties in the province.

According to the government sources, the estimated cost of the Cholistan canal system is Rs211.4 billion, and through the project, thousands of acres of barren land could be used for agricultural purposes, and 400,000 acres of land could be brought under cultivation.

Almost all political and religious parties, nationalist groups and civil society organisations have staged widespread rallies across Sindh against the controversial plan.