ISLAMABAD: The debate over diverting water to Cholistan for corporate farming resurfaced in the National Assembly on Monday. A PPP lawmaker warned that forcing the Cholistan canal project could create serious tensions between the federal and provincial governments.
Speaking on a point of order, PPP’s Sharmila Farooqui said moving forward with the project without addressing the concerns of Sindh and Balochistan would be unfair to these provinces.
She pointed out that Sindh was already facing a water shortage, and taking away more water would economically hurt its poor farmers.
Rejecting the claim that Punjab would use its own share of 4,000 cusecs for the project, she questioned how Punjab would make up for its own shortfall.
She also mentioned that the country had received 40% less rainfall between July and December and argued that Punjab would rely on the Chashma-Jhelum link canal, which would reduce Sindh’s water supply. “Sindh is already getting less water than its share,” she said.
Farooqui called for an urgent meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to discuss the issue and allow Sindh to present its concerns. “You need to debate and discuss the issue,” she emphasized.
She also pointed out that the CCI had not met in 11 months, violating Article 154 of the Constitution. She stressed that a strong federation depends on strong provinces.
Farooqui further claimed that Sindh’s representative in Irsa was pressured into approving a water availability report to push the controversial project forward.
She also warned that, on top of the agriculture tax, the Cholistan canal project would further burden Sindh’s farmers. “There is already a shortage of water in Sindh, particularly during the non-flood season,” she said, also mentioning the wheat scam that had harmed farmers.
She criticized PTI lawmakers, saying that while they protested for an individual’s release, PPP was raising real issues concerning the people.
PML-N’s Mian Khan Bugti praised security forces for rescuing two women kidnapped in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district. “We have complete confidence in our establishment and security forces, who are working for peace and development in the province,” he said.
MQM’s Aasia Ishaque Siddiqui accused officials of manipulating Sindh Urban domicile issuance to grant admissions to students from Sindh’s interior.
She demanded an inquiry, calling it a major injustice to the urban population. She alleged that 100 students with dual domiciles were admitted to Karachi’s medical colleges, depriving urban students of their rights.
“Previously, our children were deprived of government jobs because of fake Sindh Urban domiciles issued to the youth of interior Sindh,” she said.
Meanwhile, PTI lawmakers staged a noisy protest, chanting slogans for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.
