The Sindh Prime Minister Murad Ali Shah questioned the usefulness of other protests in the province after the federal government agreed to put the controversial channel project in the rear burner.
Last night, the Government announced that it was stopping the contentious channel project until a consensus could be achieved on the issue in the Common Interests Council (CCI), a constitutional body that resolves disputes to share power between the Federation and its provinces.
However, the measure failed to convince legal fraternity and opposition parties in Sindh while they promised to continue their protest campaign and sitting in Babarloi bypass in Khairpur, demanding the issuance of a notification officially canceling the controversial scheme.
A statement issued by the home of the main minister said today that after the cancellation of the Canals project, protesters should cease their agitation and unlock the paths they have obstructed, since this interruption affected everyday life.
He said that while “peaceful protests were acceptable, public interruptions were not,” and added that protests should not block roads or hinder daily life.
The statement added that the main minister asked the protesters to clear the roads and restore normality, questioning the political motivations behind the ongoing demonstrations.
“Given the hostile actions of India, we must be united instead of falling into a divisive policy,” he said.
The main minister also held a press conference in Karachi, for which he shed light on the subject again and said: “Does each approval of the project need a notification? There are adequate forums where the projects are approved or disapproved.
“It has been made people believe that there will be an acquisition of Sindh’s rights,” he said.
When addressing the anxiety of the protesters, he recognized the “sensitivity” of the problem around the water and assured that the matter would be resolved soon and it would be guaranteed that until a consensus is reached, channels could not be built.
“People should have faith in their leaders. PPP has made clear their position and will continue to do so,” he said, urging people to avoid participating in any “adventurism.”
“PPP will always be with people [of Sindh] But given the situation in which the country is, we must find a balance. “
CM Shah recalled the Chobara channel, noting that the PPP opposed its construction and ensured that the project was not.
“Similarly, phase two of the Gran Thal channel never materialized after the completion of its first phase in 2008 due to the opposition of PPP to the project,” he said.
“I can’t prevent anyone from bringing new schemes, but I am clear about my resolution,” he said, adding that PPP would always strive to defend Sindh.
Meanwhile, in a notification issued by the CCI Secretariat, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened the 52nd CCI meeting on May 2 at the Prime Minister’s house in Islamabad.
According to the notification, the meeting will attend the main ministers of the four provinces, the vice president Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Federal Minister of States and Regions Frontier (Safron) and Cashmiro and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Amir Muqam and other dignater.
The Chief of the Army, the general also Munir, and the Prime Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, inaugurated the ambitious Cholistan project to water the lands of South Punjab on February 15 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 protests of political parties, including the ally of the ruling coalition and the residents against the proposed project.
