Pressure builds up on PPP against canals project
The nationalist and anti-canal activists have built up pressure on the Pakistan Peoples Party for the withdrawal of its support to the federal government. Responding to the pressure, PPP Sindh president, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that his party's street protest is the first step towards building pressure on the government. At a press conference in Hyderabad on Thursday Khuhro reiterated that the PPP is being criticised for buttressing PML-N government and its policies.
"But, contrarily, the fact is neither we are in the central government nor do we have any federal ministry." He asserted that the PPP's only purpose behind what is being perceived as N-league government's support is to see continuity of democracy.
He maintained that President Asif Ali Zardari has no authority to sanction or reject projects regarding the construction of six new canals on the Indus River. He said the project was also not brought before the parliament for approval.
Khuhro said, PPP had grudgingly accepted the 1991 water accord but the incumbent government wants to change even that accord. He pointed out that the Council of Common Interest (CCI) is the platform which is supposed to resolve disputes like the water sharing among the provinces. However, he regretted, the CCI's meeting has not been convened for years.
"Over 4 million acres of land in downstream of Kotri Barrage has become uncultivable because of water scarcity," he lamented. "But I feel sad that the N-League has learned nothing from the political storm which Kalabagh Dam had created in the country." Khuhro also blamed the PML-N for silently accepting construction of Thall canal by a military general. He explained that water for the controversial Cholistan canal, which aims to turn desert region in a sprawling green one, will be drawn from the Indus through the greater Thall canal and Sutlej River.
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