Peoples Party will not allow canals to be built, stresses Sharjeel

HYDERABAD: Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would not allow canals to be built, adding that leaving the government is not a big deal, as the party is prepared to go even further than that.

Talking to the media at Rawal House, Tando Jam, before an Iftar dinner, Memon pointed out that the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional used to rally for Kalabagh Dam during Pervez Musharraf’s reign.

He asked how the leaders of the Grand Democratic Alliance are opposing the canals project now. “They are dead horses, and rejected. They want to regain public support.” He said the PPP would not allow even an inch of Sindh’s water to decrease, adding that the provincial assembly has also passed a resolution against the canals project.

He also said the PPP is supporting the federal government without being a part of the Centre or holding a ministry. “A false narrative is circulating on social media about the Cholistan canal’s construction. The PPP also wants Cholistan to be developed through cloud seeding.”

Talking about Balochistan, Memon said that a sad incident took place there, and termed it a serious act of terrorism, adding that a group targeted innocent people at the behest of Pakistan’s enemies to stop the country’s development. Responding to a question, he said RAW is doing this to weaken Pakistan, using the country’s own people, adding that this is the time to resolve the issue of Balochistan.

He also said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan does not understand what their politics are because they are acting like Malangs. “The Sindh government is running the K-IV and Hub Dam projects for Karachi.”

The minister said the Sindh government is working for Karachi more than for other parts of the province so that it can be developed as an international city. “Remember that the PPP stopped the extortion and strike culture in Karachi, following which a party ran away from the local government elections, and everyone knows why it ran away.”

He said President Asif Ali Zardari clearly stated in his speech on the issue of canals that he cannot support the project, adding that the provincial government has a clear stance on the issue: since the canals would reduce Sindh’s water share, they should not be constructed.

Memon also said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman is a valuable asset for politics in Pakistan. “We have learned from him, and the country needs him.” Replying to another query, the minister pointed out that illegal parking operations are rampant across the province, and that the local governments have been ordered to take action against such operations.