The Sindh irrigation minister, Jam Khan Shoro, on Saturday strongly responded to a press conference of Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari on the canals issue. He stated that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was not politicising the issue of canals.
“The people of Sindh and PPP stand united in their stance: controversial canals are unacceptable. The people of Sindh are protesting against these disputed canal projects — does this protest look like politics to you?” Shoro questioned.
In a statement, the irrigation minister maintained that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had sent a clear message to the federal government that if the decision to construct new canals was not reversed, the PPP would stand with the people — not Shehbaz Sharif.
“Azma Bukhari lacks even the basic understanding of water-related matters,” he said, adding that instead of defending the controversial canals, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) should permanently scrap the project.
Shoro emphasised that there was already a severe water shortage in Sindh — not just for agriculture, but even for drinking purposes. “Fields are barren, farmers are distressed, and livestock are suffering from thirst. Therefore, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif must publicly reject the controversial canal projects,” he asserted.
He also warned the PML-N that if the prime minister did not withdraw the controversial canal plans, the PPP would stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Sindh. “We are prepared to go to any extent to have this project cancelled. The entire irrigation system of Sindh depends on the Indus River, and currently, there is not even enough water for drinking, let alone for crops,” he asserted.
The irrigation minister called on the federal government to immediately convene a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and permanently bury the canal project.