NA proceedings: PPP raises canal issue, vows not to accept project

ISLAMABAD: As the legislators of the Pakistan people’s Party raised the issue of controversial six canals issue in the National Assembly and made it clear that no more canals on Indus river would be accepted, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar assured that not a single drop of Sindh’s water share would be diverted to any other province.

The PPP raised the question that who was advising the government for taking such a controversial decision in such a situation.

While earlier PTI staged a protest in the National Assembly for not allowing Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan to speak on a point of order, and the PTI legislators gathered in front of the speaker’s dais to lodge their protest.

Despite the opposition leader’s insistence, the speaker did not give the floor to Omar Ayub, on which Omar Ayub, Barrister Gohar, Mahmood Achakzai and other opposition members gathered in front of the speaker’s dais.

Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was of the view that when the opposition members spoke, there was silence on the government benches and they heard their speeches, but when the government responded, they started to make noise and protest.

Taking the floor following the PPP raised the issue of controversial six canals on Indus River, Deputy PM Ishaq Dar assured that all decisions would be taken in consultation with the PPP leadership. He said the PPP was very dear to the government; they were partners, while the PM had given him the responsibility of political consultation.

He said that progress has been made on many issues on the agreement with the PPP, two or four issues were left, and development issues were being discussed.

Dar added that while the project was discussed again by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), it had not been approved, as the government awaited consent from all stakeholders.

Earlier, former prime minister and ex-speaker Raja Pervez Ashraf stressed the importance of unity among all federating units to resolve national issues.

PPP MNA Shazia Marri strongly condemned a statement by a Punjab provincial minister suggesting further canal development on the Indus River. She reiterated her party’s longstanding opposition to the Kalabagh Dam. Shazia criticised the federal government for not convening a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

Responding to the concerns, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar stressed the need for consensus and dialogue. He criticised the opposition for lacking seriousness and using the floor irresponsibly.

PPP leader Abdul Qadir Patel echoed his party’s stance against further canals, questioning the rationale of escalating tensions in Punjab when KP and Balochistan were already grappling with serious law and order issues.

MQM-Pakistan MNA Khawaja Izharul Hassan voiced strong support for addressing canal-related issues, calling access to water a fundamental right. He criticised the silence on India’s actions to block Pakistan’s water supply.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry condemned PTI for politicising the Katlang incident, comparing it to their handling of the Jafar Express attack. Talal said that law and order was a provincial responsibility under the 18th Amendment and criticised the KP government for failing to establish Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Safe City project, or forensic labs.

He credited former PM Nawaz Sharif’s tenure for significant success against terrorism and accused PTI of ignoring National Action Plan commitments. Talal concluded by stating that Pakistan is facing an unprecedented situation where a political party appears to support terrorists rather than condemn them.

During the NA session, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers strongly condemned the Mardan incident, in which several individuals from Swat were reportedly killed. PTI MNA Salimur Rehman said the victims were innocent and unjustly labelled as terrorists by the government ministers. PTI MNA Mujahid Ali called for a judicial inquiry into the incident.

PTI KP President and MNA Junaid Akbar Khan criticised Pakistan’s security institutions, accusing them of overstepping their mandate. He questioned why terrorists continue to enter from Afghanistan despite massive investment in security.

Meanwhile, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq expressed disappointment over the opposition’s absence from the Parliamentary Committee on National Security meeting held on March 18, 2025. Earlier, the National Assembly offered Fateha for the late mother of Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir.