Pakistan says won't build new canals, dousing row over key irrigation project
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's government on Monday decided not to build new canals on River Indus, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office said, following weeks of protests in the southern Sindh province over the key irrigation project.
Pakistan's government launched the ambitious agricultural project in February to build a network of six canals on the Indus. The government said it aimed to irrigate millions of acres of barren lands and ensure food security for 240 million people of the country.
But critics said the project would trigger water shortages in the southern parts of the country, mainly Sindh. The project sparked protests by lawyers, civil society and supporters of nationalist parties that disrupted trade and traffic on National Highway in Sindh, forcing the government last week to pause it.
On Monday, PM Sharif summoned a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), a constitutional body aimed at resolving the disputes between the federation and its provinces, to discuss the irrigation project and heightened tensions with New Delhi over a recent attack in Kashmir among other things.
'Federal Government has decided that no new canals will be built without mutual understanding from CCI,' Sharif's office said in a statement after the meeting. 'It has been decided that the Federal Government will not move further until mutual understanding is evolved among the provinces.'
The development comes at a time when India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan that splits Indus River and its tributaries between Pakistan and India, threatening Pakistan's food security. Islamabad has described the move as an 'act of war' and said it would take 'all appropriate steps' to safeguard its due share of water.
Sharif's office said the government was forming a committee to engage all provincial governments to chart out a long-term consensus roadmap for the development of an agriculture policy and water management infrastructure across Pakistan, adding that water rights of all provinces were enshrined in the Water Apportionment Accord-1991 and Water Policy-2018.
'The committee will propose solutions to Pakistan's long-term agriculture needs and water use of all provinces in line with the two consensus documents,' it said, adding that any concerns on the proposals would be addressed through due diligence among all stakeholders.
'Water is one of the most precious commodities and the makers of the constitution recognized this, mandating all water disputes to be resolved amicably through mutual understanding.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan National Assembly speaker meets Saudi crown prince, urges deeper ties at Hajj luncheon
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday at a luncheon hosted for Muslim leaders visiting the Kingdom for Hajj, expressing hope for even stronger ties between the two countries, according to an official statement. The meeting underscored a longstanding relationship rooted in economic, diplomatic and military cooperation. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly come to Pakistan's aid during financial crises, including through multibillion-dollar deposits in Pakistan's central bank and deferred oil payment facilities in the past. Such support has helped Islamabad shore up its foreign currency reserves and even unlock International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programs during periods of acute external financing pressure. 'Saudi Arabia has always stood by Pakistan in times of adversity,' Sadiq said during the meeting, thanking the crown prince for Riyadh's consistent backing. 'We hope that ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will grow even stronger,' he added. According to the National Assembly, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated his commitment to addressing challenges facing the Muslim world. The speaker's meeting follows a two-day trip to the Kingdom last week by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who performed Umrah alongside Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and other senior officials. During the visit, Sharif thanked Saudi leadership for its role during last month's military standoff between Pakistan and India and praised Riyadh's efforts to promote regional and global stability. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have also been expanding their economic ties. In October last year, the two countries signed business-to-business agreements and memoranda of understanding worth $2.8 billion aimed at boosting trade and investment.
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Pakistani, Muslim leaders share Eid greetings, offer special prayers for Gaza
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday exchanged Eid Al-Adha greetings with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Bahrain, Jordan and other Muslim nations and offered special prayers for the people of Gaza. Eid Al-Adha is one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar, marked by Muslims in Pakistan and around the world by slaughtering animals such as sheep and goats, and distributing their meat among family, friends and the poor. Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Dar held a telephonic conversation with his UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and exchanged warm Eid greetings, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported. They prayed for peace, prosperity and well-being of Muslims across the world. Separately, PM Sharif held a telephonic conversation with Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and conveyed his warm greetings to him and the brotherly people of Oman on the Eid Al-Adha. 'While exchanging Eid wishes, the two leaders prayed for unity and harmony among the Muslim Ummah. They also offered special prayers for the people of Gaza,' Sharif's office said. The development came as at least four Palestinians were killed and others were wounded by Israeli fire around a kilometer from an aid distribution point in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian health officials and witnesses said on Sunday. Israel's military campaign has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian Health Ministry. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced around 90 percent of its population. The territory's roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all of Gaza's food production capabilities have been destroyed. The Pakistani leaders also held similar calls and exchange of Eid greetings with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Jordan's King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Pakistan PM exchanges Eid greetings with leaders of Azerbaijan, Qatar, Tajikistan
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif exchanged Eid Al-Adha greetings with the leaders of Azerbaijan, Qatar, Malaysia, Tajikistan and Malaysia on Saturday, his office said, vowing to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation with them. Pakistan is celebrating Eid Al-Adha, one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar, today, Saturday. Muslims mark the Eid Al-Adha holiday in Pakistan and around the world by slaughtering animals such as sheep and goats, and the meat is shared among family and friends and donated to the poor. Sharif conveyed Eid greetings to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, his family and the people of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement. 'The two leaders reaffirmed their shared resolve to further strengthen Pakistan-Azerbaijan bilateral cooperation and looked forward to their upcoming interactions, including at the ECO Summit in Azerbaijan in early July as well as during President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Islamabad later this year,' the PMO said. The Pakistani premier separately spoke to Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to convey his Eid greetings to him. Sharif thanked the Qatari leader for his country's 'proactive diplomacy' and constructive role in de-escalating tensions between Pakistan and India during their conflict in May. 'The two leaders also reiterated their common desire to expand ties between both countries, particularly through mutually beneficial trade and investment,' the PMO said. The Pakistani prime minister also spoke to Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, thanking him for his hospitality during Sharif's recent visit to Dushanbe. 'The Prime Minister also thanked Tajikistan for its balanced position calling for peace and dialogue, during the recent Pakistan-India crisis,' the statement said. On bilateral relations, the two leaders expressed satisfaction with the positive trajectory of ties, which were growing steadily across all areas of mutual interest, it added. Sharif had also spoken to the prime minister of Malaysia earlier in the day to thank him for his support to Pakistan during Islamabad's conflict with New Delhi. Both leaders discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Malaysia.
