Govt halts canals project until inter-provincial consensus

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that the federal government has decided to halt the canals on Indus River project until inter-provincial consensus on the issue.

The prime minister made these remarks alongside Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari after their meeting in Islamabad. PM Shehbaz said that discussions were held with the PPP delegation on the issue of canals on Indus River and added that further progress on canals will not be made without consensus among the provinces.

“Further canal construction will only proceed with mutual agreement on the canal issue,” the prime minister said.

PM Shehbaz said that a meeting of the Council of Common Interest has also been summoned on May 2. He said that the federal units and Sindh had expressed reservations over the Kalabagh Dam and the matter was resolved amicably.

“The issue of canals on Indus River will also be resolved through mutual consent,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Bilawal Bhutto Zardaro said that the prime minister has agreed to address the grievances of the people of Sindh, who have been protesting against the canals construction.

He hoped that the upcoming meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on May 2 will finalize the decision.

Bilawal Bhutto also condemned India’s recent declaration to terminate the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it “condemnable and an act of injustice against humanity. He vowed to raise the issue at the international level and give a befitting response to India’s actions.

Sit-ins were staged on Sindh’s highways against the approval of controversial canals projects on the Indus River, which has been seen as a threat to the province’s water resources.

Moreover, around 250 containers of potatoes bound for export markets were stranded at Sindh’s entry points due to sit-in protests blocking major highways.

These containers, are unable to reach the port due to road blocks. Fruit and Vegetable Exporters warned that the delay could severely damage the perishable goods, especially since potatoes require constant temperature control, maintained through generators.