Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has firmly opposed the proposed construction of the Cholistan Canal. He also said that the government will not set wheat prices this year, allowing market forces to determine them.
Speaking to the media in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh, the CM said, “How can the canal be constructed when it hasn’t even received approval?” He assured that as long as the PPP exists, the canal would not be built. He lamented that some political parties, instead of opposing the canals, have taken to the streets to protest against the PPP.
He was accompanied by provincial ministers Saeed Ghani and Nasir Shah.
Murad criticised certain news channels for spreading misinformation regarding the canal project and urged them to report responsibly.
Highlighting the PPP commitment to Sindh’s interests, the chief minister asserted that the party is prepared to make any sacrifice to protect the province’s rights. He recalled past allegations against the PPP, including claims that former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto allocated funds for the controversial Kalabagh Dam, which were proven unfounded.
Murad revealed that despite multiple requests for a Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting to discuss the canal project, no response had been received from the federal government.
The chief minister said that the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has approved Punjab’s request for 0.8 million acre-feet (MAF) of water for the Cholistan Canal project, a decision that has generated strong opposition in Sindh, and his government has opposed it strongly.
Murad noted that Punjab argues, based on historical data from 1976 to 2022, that an average of 27MAF of water flows downstream Kotri Barrage annually, while the officially required environmental flow is 8.5MAF which he said should be 10MAF.
English
Urdu