Islamabad: A significant revelation has emerged regarding President Asif Ali Zardari’s approval of the controversial strategic canals to be extracted from the Indus River.
Despite the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) consistently opposing and protesting against the proposed canals, President Asif Ali Zardari has granted principal approval for the simultaneous implementation of all six strategic canals.
According to Dawn 'citing the minutes of the meeting, the President chaired a session at Aiwan-e-Sadr on the Green Pakistan Initiative on July 8, 2024', he was briefed on the significance of the six strategic canals and the necessity of their simultaneous construction.
The President was informed that these canals are an essential part of the Green Pakistan Initiative and are crucial for enhancing national food security and agricultural development. The six strategically important canals include Thar Canal, Reni Canal, Cholistan Canal, Greater Thar Canal, Kachhi Canal, and Chashma Right Bank Canal.
While granting principal approval for their construction, President Zardari emphasized the need for continuous funding from both federal and provincial governments.
It is noteworthy that on March 10, 2025, President Zardari had expressed concerns over unilateral policies putting pressure on the federation. During his address at the joint session of Parliament, he stated that he could not support the government’s unilateral decision to extract more canals from the Indus River. He urged the government to reconsider the proposal and work with all stakeholders to reach a mutually agreed, sustainable solution.
In response to the project, the PPP launched a protest movement against the construction of the six canals and announced demonstrations at all district headquarters across Sindh on March 25, 2025. On that day, protests were held in various cities, including Ghotki, Tharparkar, and Shikarpur, where demonstrators chanted slogans against the federal government.
