KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has the strength, capability and authority to stop the controversial Cholistan Canal project and it will exercise that authority if it becomes necessary to do so.
The warning to this effect was made by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah as he spoke to media persons at the CM House on Saturday.
“We are prepared to go to any lengths to protect the rights of Sindh. However, if our concerns are acknowledged, there should be no need for extreme measures,” the CM remarked and added that the PPP’s voice or the voice of the people of Sindh had been heard, which was why the Punjab government had not utilised the allocated Rs45 billion on the construction of the Cholistan Canal.
Shah emphasised that the PPP’s support was mandatory for the continuity of the federal government. “We do have the power to bring down this government,” he said.
He also earnestly appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to completely disavow the controversial proposed Cholistan Canal project, keeping in view its stiff opposition by the natives of Sindh, to amicably resolve this troubling issue that had been weakening the inter-provincial relations in the country.
Shah urged the PM to completely withdraw the federal government’s support for the proposed irrigation project for Cholistan owing to widespread resentment against the scheme in Sindh.
He stated that the opposition wanted the PPP to depose the incumbent federal government, but the PPP would not pursue their agenda.
He mentioned that upon the request of the Sindh government, work had not yet begun on the Cholistan Canal. Additionally, he noted that merely a small canal model had been developed to showcase it to potential investors.
The Sindh CM said the canal projects had begun at upstream areas in the irrigation network, but when his team visited the site in February, no work for the new canal was being carried out. “I instructed my team to visit a proposed canal site near the Indian border. When they went there, they found that no work was happening.”
He stated that Pakistan faced acute water scarcity. He pointed out that from 1999 to 2024, the Tarbela Dam had only reached its full capacity for 17 days in 25 years, while the Mangla Dam was filled to its capacity for only four days.
“If we are unable to fill our dams, how will we be able to operate the new canals proposed by the federal government?” he asked.
Shah stated that the initial estimated cost of the canal project was Rs218 billion, which had now likely increased to Rs225 billion, and upon further examination, the cost may rise even more.
“According to the original project plan, a dam was supposed to be constructed in Chiniot, which was a $3 billion project,” the he said, adding that the Punjab government had mentioned in the Rs218 billion PC-1 that they would spend Rs45 billion in the first year, but not a single penny had been utilised so far of the allocated amount.
He asserted that the Cholistan Canal posed a threat not only to Sindh but also to the entire nation, which was why three provinces — Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa — had already expressed their opposition to it.
Shah stated that some people believed that the Cholistan Canal had been constructed, which was why Sindh was facing a water shortage, while others thought that work on the project was progressing fast. “In reality, no work is currently under way,” he maintained as he asked the media to tell facts to the public in this regard.
Sharing the historical context, he said the idea of developing Cholistan with irrigation canals dated back to 1919 but it was rejected by the British. He explained that during the caretaker government’s tenure, the Punjab government sought a no objection certificate (NOC) for water allocation from the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), claiming that there was sufficient water flow. However, he countered the Punjab’s claim stating that the actual flow had significantly decreased over time.
The Sindh CM highlighted that from 1976 to 1999, the average downstream flow at Kotri dropped dramatically and it had continued to decline. He questioned the justification for additional water allocation to Punjab, stressing that Sindh’s resources were already under strain.
He also dismissed the claim that President Asif Ali Zardari had approved the canal project, stating that giving approval to such projects was the jurisdiction of proper government agencies and requires provincial consensus. Shah clarified that the Sindh Assembly had passed a resolution against the project, with both the Pakistan Peoples Party and opposition parties supporting it. He called on the PM to reject the project unless a proper consultation process had been followed, reiterating that the final decision lied with the federal government and the Council of Common Interests (CCI), which had yet to meet on the issue.
In the question and answer session, he emphasised the need to convene a CCI meeting to resolve the matter once and for all.
He mentioned that under the Green Pakistan Initiative, the Punjab government allocated nearly 1.2 million acres of land during the caretaker government. The project involved the installation of solar tube wells using subsoil water. Over 50 solar tube wells had been set up, and cultivation had started, he added.
Regarding green farming initiatives in Sindh, the CM mentioned that 54,000 acres of land in Umerkot, Dadu and Badin had been designated for green projects. “If there is any settlement on the allotted land, it would not be disturbed,” he said, adding that in Umerkot, cultivation had already begun using available water.
“Projects that benefit both Sindh and the country will receive support, but not at the cost of constructing a new canal,” he said.
In 2018, a study was conducted predicting that 4,122 cusecs would be diverted through a canal. On January 17, 2024, Irsa granted approval to the canal project, to which Sindh expressed dissent, Shah said.
He noted that as per a plan prepared by the Punjab government during floods, the Chenab and Sutlej rivers received substantial amounts of water, which they considered surplus. He added that such water should be diverted for Cholistan.
He claimed that he had opposed the canal project in every meeting and convinced the federal ministers and other authorities that this canal could not be constructed.
While discussing Karachi’s water issues, the CM stated that the federal government initially launched the K-IV water project, but the Sindh government had now secured Rs80 billion funds with the support of the World Bank for the bulk water supply scheme for Karachi.
He emphasised that the expansion of the Hub Dam would significantly increase Karachi’s water supply, and help address the city’s growing demand.
He also highlighted that the Sindh government was actively working on multiple initiatives to improve water infrastructure, including upgrading pipelines, reducing water losses and enhancing distribution networks. “We are committed to ensuring a sustainable and long-term solution for Karachi’s water needs,” he said.