Quitting coalition not hard but PPP wants to solve canals issue for sake of democracy: Sharjeel

Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Tuesday said that as soon as the issue of the controversial canals arose, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Sindh government immediately began efforts to resolve it.

The PPP’s stance on the canal issue has been clear from day one: wherever we held meetings, we consistently opposed the construction of canals, he said Speaking at a press conference in the Directorate of Social Media and Electronic Media, Karachi, the provincial minister of information, transport, and mass transit, Sharjeel Inam Memon, accompanied by the provincial minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Sindh PPP Information Secretary Ajiz Dhamrah, said that when there was the caretaker government, a session of Irsa was held on January 25, 2024.

In that meeting, a water availability certificate was issued to Punjab, suggesting that the canal project could proceed. However, Sindh’s representative, Ehsan Leghari, raised objections and noted that there was no water available, and therefore, the water availability certificate should be withdrawn.

Memon said a summary was prepared on June 13, 2025, clearly objecting to the canal project, and it was signed by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on June 14. He emphasized that the PPP government was the first to raise objections regarding the canal issue.

He said that according to the constitution, a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) must be held every 90 days. The CM wrote several letters requesting that a CCI meeting be convened, but it had not been held yet.

Memon said the Sindh government and the PPP have a clear stance that no canals should be constructed on the Indus River. He said the PPP is a federal party that considers the interests of Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan alike. “We have all the letters in which we have opposed the construction of canals, and the PPP has consistently maintained the same position at every forum—that the controversial canals should not be built,” he added.

He said President Asif Ali Zardari, while addressing a joint session of parliament, clearly stated that the project could not be supported. He said Punjab possesses a stock of fresh groundwater, which can be utilized for agriculture. He also said the prime minister's political adviser, Rana Sanaullah, called two days ago and informed that the prime minister was willing to look into the issue. Rana Sanaullah also called yesterday and today, he said.

Te senior minister said Shehbaz Sharif is the prime minister of the entire country and should act to alleviate and address the anxieties of the people. He said that the country belongs to its people, and even in the 1991 Water Accord, Sindh is not being provided with its due share. He emphasized that both legally and constitutionally, Sindh should be given its rightful share of water.

He stated that protesting is everyone’s constitutional right, but he urged that special care be taken to minimize the difficulties faced by the public due to traffic disruptions caused by road closures during peaceful protests. He emphasized that the protests should continue without causing inconvenience to anyone.

Answering a question, he said saying "Khuda Hafiz" was not hard and might garner applause but that the PPP would prefer to move forward in understanding for the democratic order to become stable. He reiterated that Sindh will not give up even a drop of its rightful share of water.

Addressing a press conference, Sindh PPP Information Secretary Ajiz Dhamrah said the PPP welcomes the protest for water, as it considers the construction of canals a form of robbery on the Indus River. He added that some elements are trying to steer the protest toward violence and bloodshed.

He said the civil society, writers, and intellectuals of Sindh should come forward, and assured them that the PPP stands with them. He added that the PPP will be organizing protest rallies in Sukkur and Mirpurkhas to raise its voice on the issue of water in Pakistan.

Sindh Minister for Energy and Planning and Development Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said during the media briefing that the controversial canals are completely unacceptable under any circumstances. He accused Irsa of presenting data with ill intent, noting that data spanning fifty years was used to issue a water availability certificate to Punjab. He added that the CM raised strong objections to this in his official summary.

He said there has always been a water shortage and emphasized that the federal government should make the right decision, as incorrect data has been presented. He urged the federal government to address the concerns of the people and take an informed decision. He also announced that Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will clarify the PPP’s position on the canals issue during his rally in Sukkur on April 25.