President Zardari didn't approve canals project, says Sindh CM

KARACHI: Sindh’s Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said on Saturday that President Asif Ali Zardari didn’t approve any canal project in a meeting.

“President was told about briefing on irrigation and additional land cultivation but the wrong minutes of the meeting issued,” Sindh’s chief minister said in a press conference.

Referring to the meeting chaired by President Zardari, Murad Ali Shah said that the meeting minutes were wrongly used to suggest presidential approval of the canal projects.

Murad Ali Shah said that in the pretext of the meeting chaired by the president, canals were approved.

Sindh’s chief minister said that a complete record of water shortage in Indus River has been available. “We have challenged the Indus River System Authority’s (IRSA) certification in the Council of Common Interest (CCI) as any canal project must first be discussed and approved by the CCI”.

He said the Sindh’s irrigation department has been active,”It cannot be happened anyone build what wants to make,” CM Shah said.

He said Sindh’s representative had recorded the province’s objection when the issue of six canals without mentioning the name of Cholistan was discussed in the ECNEC.