Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and Sindh main minister Sharjeel Memon agreed to solve the problem of the contentious channel project through dialogue during a phone call between them, said the spokesman of the latter on Sunday.
Development occurs a day after the Supreme PML-N, Nawaz, ordered the Federal Government to initiate dialogue with the PPP to resolve the ongoing water dispute between Punjab and Sindh, saying that the political score should be avoided in such a sensitive national issue.
The president of PML-N Punjab, Saraullah, spoke with Memon on the phone during which both leaders agreed that the channel dispute should be resolved through the conversations, according to a statement issued by the spokesman of the Sindh Minister.
“We are ready for negotiations with Sindh,” said Saraullah.
“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif have ordered that Sindh reserves be eliminated,” he said.
Meanwhile, Memon said the Sindh government has given its position on the Canals project in each forum.
“The PPP and the people of Sindh have serious reservations on the played channels,” he said. “The PPP wants a fair distribution of water for the people of Sindh under the 1991 agreement.”
“The PPP is also willing to have conversations with the federal government on the issue of channels,” Memon said.
On February 15, Punjab Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz, and the head of the Army staff, the general also opened the ambitious Cholistan project to water the lands of South Punjab in the middle of a public uproar and strong reserves in Sindh. The Sindh Assembly also approved a unanimous resolution against the project in March.
The last months have seen the national and civil parties protests against the proposed channel project. The controversy of the channels has deepened with Murad strongly criticizing the Punjab government for increasing the water that deviates to the Link TP channel. The Indo River System Authority (IRSA) claimed to have made all decisions according to the law.
On April 18, the president of the PPP, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, threatened the ruling PML-N against continue along the path of confrontation with Sindh on the issue of new channels in the Indo River.
While heading to a great public meeting at Hatri Bypass Ground on Friday night, he said his party would not go with the federal government if he did not file the controversial project, even after recognizing the objections of the PPP.
‘The center will not take unilateral steps’
In statements to the media in Hyderabad today, the Minister of State for Religious Affairs, the Kesoo Mal Kheal Das, assured the PPP that the federal government would not take “unilateral” measures and will hold conversations with the party to reach a consensus on the issue.
“They would not take such an action that it would bother any province. I assure the people of Sindh that the center will not make any unilateral decision,” he said.
“This step cannot advance until the reserves of the people of Sindh are relieved,” added the PML-N MNA. Referring to the Common Interests Council, he said they would lead the relevant “constitutional forum” to discussions.
He added that the Canales project had not even been approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council.
When asked about a recent incident in which his vehicle was attacked by protesters in Thatta, he said: “I cannot say that the PPP was part of this. I consider that the PPP is a Democratic party [and] He has never done such acts.
“Everyone saw the flags and faces of those who carried out this attack, and the police have also presented me with a case against them. The police have told me that some arrests have also been made,” he added.
“In my opinion, such cowardly acts cannot stop us from our work,” said the PML-N MNA. He pointed out that Bilawal was a “national leader” and that representing the rights of Sindh, where his party was in power, was his responsibility.
“There is nothing wrong with. The PPP has the right to have its position. There are protests and manifestations in a democracy, but the only thing that should not be is to incite,” Kheal Das continued.
The PML-N legislator said he had spoken by phone with Prime Minister Shehbaz yesterday on the issue of the Canals project. “The government of God, the government will soon speak with the leadership of the PPP on this matter and we will invite them [the PPP] to conversations so that this matter can be resolved friendly.
“It is not good to have internal struggles and I hate among the provinces; it will hinder the development of Pakistan,” he said, and said that Sindh’s reserves were “justified and resolved.”
He added that some people wanted to conspire to create a crack between the PML-N and the PPP and that the government “frustrated that conspiracy.”
