KARACHI: Under the leadership of Chairman Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the PPP Sindh Council convened a meeting at the Chief Minister's House in Karachi. The council unanimously passed a resolution rejecting the construction of six new canals on the Indus River.
According to a statement issued by the PPP, the meeting was attended by key party figures, including PPP Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, former CM Qaim Ali Shah, Waqar Mehdi, Manzoor Wassan, Saeed Ghani, Nasir Hussain Shah, Sharjeel Inam Memon, Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Agha Siraj Durrani, Shahida Rehmani, and other provincial ministers, divisional, and district officials.
During the meeting, the council strongly opposed the canal projects and demanded that the federal government appoint a representative from Sindh as the chairman of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA). The council asserted that Sindh would not accept any new canal project on the Indus River. PPP also expressed concerns that Sindh’s constitutional objections were being ignored due to the dominance of federal and provincial representatives in IRSA.
Expressing full support for the resolution, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari reiterated that the PPP had always opposed new canal projects on the Indus River and would continue to raise its voice against them. He emphasized that the PPP has consistently represented the people of Sindh on water-related issues and will continue to fight for their rights.
PPP Sindh President Nisar Khuhro termed the six canal projects as an attempt to render Sindh barren. He urged the federal government to withdraw from these projects immediately. Similarly, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah pointed out that the Indus River System is already facing severe water shortages, questioning how additional canals could be sustained.
The Sindh Council also passed a resolution paying tribute to Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on his 46th death anniversary. The council called upon PPP supporters from across the country to gather in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on April 4 to honor their leader.
Additionally, the council demanded the implementation of the 1991 Water Accord’s provisions to ensure Sindh receives its full share of water. It called for a minimum of 10 million acre-feet of water to be released downstream at Kotri Barrage. The resolution also stressed that the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal and Taunsa-Panjnad Link Canal should only be operated during flood conditions. Furthermore, it called for installing a telemetry system to monitor water flow from Taunsa to Guddu Barrage.
The PPP Sindh Council warned the federal government that Sindh, which produces 70% of the country's agricultural output, would face severe food security challenges if water shortages persisted. The council asserted that the federal government would be responsible for any such crisis.
Finally, the meeting emphasized that the resolution of water disputes and project approvals must be handled through the Council of Common Interests (CCI), as mandated by the Constitution. The federal government was urged to convene a CCI meeting every three months to address these critical issues.
