Centre ready to hold talks with Sindh over contentious canal projects

• Sindh residents have reservations about canals: Memon.
• Says Bilawal-led PPP demands fair distribution of water.
• No province's water can be allocated to another: Sanaullah.

KARACHI: In a positive development, the federal government has offered to sit down with the Sindh authorities to resolve the latter’s concerns over the contentious and disputed canal projects through dialogue.

The development comes during a telephonic conversation between Adviser to Prime Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Rana Sanaullah and Sindh's Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, where both leaders agreed to address the matter through negotiations.

They talked about resolving the long-standing issue concerning the distribution and management of water resources through canals.

Sanaullah, in a statement, said that Premier Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif have instructed him to alleviate Sindh's concerns regarding the canal issue.

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

On the other hand, Memon said that the Sindh government has consistently presented its stance on the canal issue at every available forum.

He also highlighted the strong reservations of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the people of Sindh regarding the disputed canals. "The PPP and the people of Sindh have serious reservations about the controversial canals."

The senior provincial minister further said that the PPP demanded fair distribution of water as per the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord for the people of Sindh. However, he also 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 that the federal government respects the PPP leadership and believes the 1991 water accord and the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Act ensure fairness. "With the 1991 agreement between the provinces and the IRSA Act in place, there can be no injustice to anyone."

He affirmed that no province's water can be allocated to another and that the country has constitutional mechanisms and laws to prevent such occurrences.

"Dialogue and consultation are the solution to every problem," he concluded.

The centre has extended the offer of dialogue two days after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned that his party would part ways with the ruling coalition led by the PML-N, if the federal government failed to address its reservations over the controversial canals project.

As the controversial canals project has become a bone of contention between the two major political parties, which are allies in the centre.

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

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