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he federal cabinet members government has started engaging with the Pakistan Peoples Party as well as some Sindhi nationalist parties over the issue of construction of new canals.
On April 20, Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon talked over the phone and agreed to resolve the contentious canals project issue.
Earlier, Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistan Muslim League supremo, had directed the federal government to initiate a dialogue with the PPP to sort out the on-going dispute between the Punjab and Sindh, saying that populist point-scoring on such a sensitive national issue should be avoided.
Sindh’s Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has appealed to the protesters, demonstrating against the construction of new canals, to remain peaceful and not cause hardships for the people by blocking highways and main roads. He has said that the PPP and the protesters share the same goal, adding that his party will also stage similar protests if their ongoing talks with the federal government did not bear fruit.
Both the PML-N and the PPP are struggling to repair the political damage they have sustained in their respective constituencies. A deep-rooted mistrust will be a big barrier to cross in any negotiations on water. The divide dates back to British era when Sindh voiced opposition to diversion projects to benefit the Punjab. A near-agreement reached in 1945 was later rescinded after the Partition. Operations of Taunsa-Panjnad and Chashma-Jehlum link canals were initially agreed to the extent of flood flows. However, these were later converted into perennial canals. This continues to be a thorny issue. A deviation from the 1991 Water Accord has been the introduction of a so-called three-tier formula. It is against this backdrop that Sindh is vehemently opposed any new storage or diversion upstream.
The Indus River System Authority issued a water availability certificate for the proposed Cholistan Canal in January 2024. Objections of the Sindh member were overruled through a majority vote. Subsequently, at a meeting held at the President’s Office on July 8, the construction of six strategic canals was endorsed. Long before that, the WAPDA had revealed a Greater Cholistan irrigation project at another high-level meeting. The plan envisaged building reservoirs on Chenab River, two barrages on Sutlej River and a network of canals to transport water to Cholistan desert to feed corporate farming. The project will require an estimated 5 million acre feet (MAF) of water to command an area of over 6.6 million acres.
Sindh claims that the Authority did not consider the issue of water shortage while issuing the water availability certificate for Cholistan feeder canal. Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court has suspended the implementation of IRSA’s water availability certificate.
The Indus River system has faced significant shortages over recent decades. Since 2001, the IRSA has been distributing water under a three-tier formula.
Sindh claims that the authority did not consider the issue of water shortage while issuing the water availability certificate for Cholistan feeder canal. Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court has suspended the implementation of the IRSA’s water availability certificate.
The Sindh government has also challenged the issuance of the certificate before the Council of Common Interests. However, a CCI meeting has not been convened for more than 14 months to deliberate on Sindh’s complaints against Cholistan canal, Chaubara canal and Jalalpur canal.
The Cholistan Canal has been categorised as a flood water canal. However, when PC-1 for the project was submitted before the Central Development Working Party, the Planning Commission pointed out that the project had been described as a perennial canal and would require water in both Kharif and Rabi seasons.
The IRSA has also allowed storage in Tarbela and Mangla Dams in mid-April at a time when Sindh is receiving only half of its water requirement and Taunsa-Panjnad canal has been allowed to transfer water from the Indus to Chenab-Jhelum zone. Sindh has objected that water is also being stored in Mangla Dam and will be available to the Punjab.
The federal ministers have now agreed that water is a subject for the CCI as stipulated in Article 154 and 155 of the constitution. Any dispute involving water can always turn into a political issue. That is why it ought to be settled through consensus.
The decision makers should appreciate the gravity of the situation. It can result in a widening of the cracks between the province and Islamabad. Both PMLN and PPP have taken several decisions that can have far-reaching consequences in the Punjab and Sindh.
The writer is a civilsociety professional; nmemon2004yahoo.com