Federal and Sindh govts agree to resolve canals project issue through talks

Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon have agreed to resolve the contentious canals project issue through dialogue during a telephonic call between them, the latter’s spokesperson said on Sunday.

The development comes a day after PML-N supremo Nawaz directed the federal government to initiate dialogue with the PPP to sort out the ongoing water dispute between Punjab and Sindh, saying that political point-scoring should be avoided on such a sensitive national issue.

PML-N Punjab President Sanaullah spoke with Memon on the phone during which both the leaders agreed that the canals dispute should be sorted out through talks, according to a statement issued by the Sindh senior minister’s spokesperson.

“We are ready for negotiations with Sindh,” Sanaullah was quoted as saying.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif have directed that Sindh’s reservations be removed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Memon said that the Sindh government has given its stance on the canals project at every forum.

“The PPP and the people of Sindh have serious reservations about the disputed canals,” he said. “The PPP wants fair distribution of water for the people of Sindh under the 1991 agreement.”

“The PPP is also willing to hold talks with the federal government on the canals issue,” Memon said.

On February 15, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir inaugurated the ambitious Cholistan project to irrigate south Punjab’s lands amid public uproar and strong reservations in Sindh. The Sindh Assembly also passed a unanimous resolution against the project in March.

The past few months have seen nationwide protests from political parties and civilians against the proposed canal project. The canals controversy has deepened with Murad strongly criticising the Punjab government for increasing water being diverted to the TP Link Canal. The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) claimed to have taken all decisions as per the law.

On April 18, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari threatened the ruling PML-N against continuing down the path of confrontation with Sindh over the issue of new canals on the Indus River.

While addressing a large public gathering at the Hatri Bypass Ground on Friday night, he said his party would not go along with the federal government if it did not shelve the controversial project, even after acknowledging the PPP’s objections.

‘Centre won’t take any unilateral steps’

Speaking to the media in Hyderabad today, Minister of State for Religious Affairs Kesoo Mal Kheal Das assured the PPP that the federal government would not take “any unilateral” steps and hold talks with the party to arrive at a consensus over the issue.

“No such action would be taken that would upset any province. I assure Sindh’s people that the Centre will not take any unilateral decision,” he said.

“This step cannot be taken forward until the reservations of Sindh’s people are allayed,” the PML-N MNA added. Referring to the Council of Common Interests, he said discussions would be taken to the relevant “constitutional forum”.

He added that the canals project had not even been approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council.

Asked about a recent incident in which his vehicle was reportedly targeted by protesters in Thatta, he said: “I cannot say that the PPP was part of this. I consider the PPP a democratic party [and] it has never done such acts.

“Everyone saw the flags and faces of those who carried out this attack, and a case has also been filed against them by the police. I have been told that some arrests have also been made,” he added.

“In my opinion, such cowardly acts cannot stop us from our work,” the PML-N MNA said. He noted that Bilawal was a “national leader” and that representing the rights of Sindh, where his party was in power, was his responsibility.

“There is nothing wrong with it. The PPP has the right to have its stance. There are protests and rallies in a democracy, but the only thing that should not be is incitement,” Kheal Das continued.

The PML-N lawmaker said he had spoken on the phone with PM Shehbaz yesterday on the issue of the canals project. “God-willing, the government will soon talk to the PPP leadership on this matter and we will invite them [the PPP] to talks so this matter can be solved amicably.

“It is not a good thing to have infighting and hatred between provinces; it will hinder Pakistan’s development,” he said, noting that Sindh’s reservations were “justified and would be resolved”.

He added that some people wanted to conspire to create a rift between the PML-N and the PPP and that the government would “foil that conspiracy”.