Tempers flare in Senate as opposition slams canals project

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI/SUKKUR/KHAIRPUR: Tempers flared in the Senate on Tuesday as the opposition erupted in protest on the opening day of the new parliamentary year, voicing fierce opposition to the construction of canals in Punjab. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) also staged a walkout from the House, denouncing the project as highly controversial.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf accused PPP of doing politics of hypocrisy on the issue of canals, while both parties had a war of words over the issue of taking up their respective resolutions on the issue. However, Law Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar tried to cool down temperatures in the House when he said a proposal to convene multi-party consultations over the issue was being considered. The minister held out an assurance to the House that the issue of canals will be resolved in line with the Constitution and the law, and in consultation with the Sindh government.

On the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Tarar explained that a PMLN leader and Advisor Rana Sanaullah Khan has formally established contacts with the Sindh government and assured to resolve the matter amicably, adding nothing will be bulldozed in this context. The law minister slammed the protesting PTI legislators, saying after having lost on all other fronts, including their rejection by the people of Sindh in Tharparkar by-polls, they were staging meaningless protests.

Saifullah Abro of PTI, who hails from Larkana, rose to seek a discussion over a resolution on the canals submitted by him a few months back. However, PPP Parliamentary Leader in the House, Sherry Rehman, insisted that the resolution submitted by her party should be taken up first. Contrary to their demands and noisy protest, Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani wanted to start the question hour instead of allowing them to speak on the hot issue. But PTI members appeared in no mood to quit the noisy protest and gathered in front of the podium of the chair.

Speaking loudly, they poured scorn on PPP while a fiery PTI senator, Falak Naz, billed PPP leadership as hypocrites. PPP senator Shahadat Awan, in return, accused her party founder, Imran Khan, of looting the national exchequer and called him a ‘watch-thief’ while he brandished a watch and a pen in the House.

PPP lawmakers also staged a walkout from the House over the issue of the canals, whereas Shahadat Awan pointed out quorum when the Law Minister was on his feet to respond to PPP and PTI concerns. When the count was made, the House was found to be in order. When the proceedings resumed after the count, Leader of the Opposition in the House, Syed Shibli Faraz, said the entire system in Sindh was paralysed, where the people were up against the issue of canals, claiming the PPP’s stance over the issue had been contradictory and hypocritical.

Shibli was speaking when quorum was pointed out again, and the House was adjourned to meet again on Friday at 10.30 am after being found not to be in order with 19 members present.

Amid widespread anger and unrest across Sindh over the construction of six new canals on the Indus River, Prime Minister’s Political Advisor Rana Sanaullah has initiated direct contacts with political leaders opposing the project.

Meanwhile, the protests against the controversial canal project have entered their fifth day, spreading to Sukkur, Nawabshah, and Daharki, where road blockages have affected the transportation of goods. Senior Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Rana Sanaullah phoned Sindh United Party chief Syed Zain Shah, Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) head Ayaz Latif Palijo, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Sindh leader Rashid Mahmood Soomro, among others, to discuss the ongoing crisis.

Rana Sanaullah conveyed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s desire to meet Sindh’s political leadership personally. “The Prime Minister would like to have a direct conversation with you regarding the canal issue,” said Sanaullah. In response, Syed Zain Shah, Ayaz Latif Palijo, and Rashid Mahmood Soomro firmly conveyed the prevailing sentiment across Sindh. “There is widespread anger and anxiety throughout Sindh over the decision to construct the canals,” they stated, adding, “The federal government’s decision has caused severe frustration in Sindh.”

Sanaullah emphasised the federal government’s willingness to resolve the matter through dialogue. “The Prime Minister wants to find a solution through discussion,” he assured. He also suggested that if Sindh’s political leadership forms a representative delegation comprising various factions, the federal government would be open to negotiations.

However, Ayaz Latif Palijo made it clear that Sindh’s position is non-negotiable unless the federal government reverses its decision.

In a related development, the up and down tracks of the Railways were blocked by the civil society and the nationalists at Bakhsho Wahan near Nawabshah, posing hardship to passengers heading for Punjab.

In the meantime, the protest against the controversial canal project in Sindh entered its fifth day, with a significant sit-in at the Babarloi Bypass causing major disruptions.

Students, members of the Pakistan Medical Association, the business community, teachers, and members of the civil society also joined the sit-in initiated by the Lawyers’ Action Committee. The Sindh Bar and District Bar Associations have also boycotted court proceedings and affirmed that their protests will continue until the proposed canal project is scrapped.

Led by Advocate Aamir Warraich and Barrister Sarfraz Maitlo, the Lawyers’ Action Committee stated that following the 72-hour sit-in, they have now decided to block train services as well.

Meanwhile, the Awami Tehreek and Sindhyani Tehreek workers joined the sit-in at Babarloi Bypass. The delegations of Awami Tehreek and Sindhyani Tehreek arrived at the sit-in from Dadu, Hyderabad, Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Sukkur, Naushahro Feroze, and Badin.

Addressing the protesters, Advocate Sajid Hussain Mahesar, Central General Secretary of Awami Tehreek, stated that the canals project and corporate farming projects are a threat to the existence of Sindh. They slammed PMLN for pursuing an anti-Pakistan and anti-federation agenda. They also criticised the PPP for siding with undemocratic forces, comparing it to their role in 1971 and accusing them of betraying democracy.

A protest march by the Save Indus Students Alliance, supported by the Karachi Bachao Tehreek and others, took place at Teen Talwar and marched towards Fowara Chowk. The protesters were also joined by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Jr.

In another warning to its coalition partner at the Centre, PPP leader and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that while his party does not wish to topple the PMLN-led federal government, it has the power to do so. Speaking on the Geo News programme “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath”, the Sindh CM said: “We have infinite capacity. We can topple them [Shehbaz-led government], but we do not want to in order to avoid any crisis. Don’t push us to the point where a decision is made that causes everyone to lose.” During the show, the chief minister made it clear that the sole solution to the issue was scrapping the project. He said the federal government had approached them over the canal issue, adding that the talks were moving forward. Currently, work on the over Rs250bn project has been stopped due to the efforts of the Sindh government, he added. The chief minister further said that the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) had not approved the project so far.

Earlier addressing a press conference in Karachi, CM Shah urged the anti-canal protesters to remain peaceful and not cause hardships for the people by blocking the highways and main thoroughfares. CM Murad said: “Lawyers and nationalists should continue their protest without troubling their own people.”

Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon appealed to demonstrators to protest responsibly. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president has deplored the ongoing altercation between Sindh and Punjab governments over the canals project on the Indus River and called for convening emergency meeting of the Council of Common Interests.