SUKKUR: Barrister Arsalan Islam Sheikh, Spokesperson for the Sindh government and Mayor Sukkur, has said that the distribution of water from the Indus River is unacceptable.
The Pakistan Peoples Party and the Sindh government have made it clear that they will not compromise on Sindh’s share of water and will not tolerate any manipulation of the water share.
Addressing a press conference at Sukkur’s Mayor House on Sunday, Barrister Arslan Islam Sheikh added that every child in Sindh is aware that whether it’s the Kalabagh Dam or the Greater Thal Canal project, Shaheed Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto had taken a principled stance on Sindh’s water issue on behalf of the Pakistan People’s Party at Kamoon Shaheed protest.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) remains firm on its stance regarding the water issue even today. He said that there’s a misleading narrative on social media suggesting the party supports the Canals project.
Shaikh made it clear that the people of Cholistan are our people and we want their prosperity, but this is not the way to build canals on Sindh’s water. The spokesperson for the Sindh government has said that the Pakistan Peoples Party will adopt constitutional and democratic methods to fight sindh’s case emphasizing that “dharna” (sit-in protests) is an undemocratic and highlighted that Pakistan’s economy has suffered significant losses due to protests and sit-ins. He said that the IRSA Act has a comprehensive mechanism for resolving water disputes between provinces, with procedures outlined in Articles 153 to 155 of the Constitution.
‘Sindh’s Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has formally registered a protest in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) regarding this matter. If no hearing is conducted, they will approach to the joint session of the parliament,’ he added. If the issue still isn’t resolved, the constitutional court is an available option. The spokesperson emphasized that they will also approach the public court if necessary and ‘ We will not allow Sindh’s lands to become barren.”
The Sindh government spokesperson added that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has unanimously passed a resolution in the Sindh Assembly against amendments to the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Act and expressed gratitude to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and other political parties for their support in this matter.
Shaikh emphasized the need to adopt modern methods to bring prosperity to Cholistan and provide its residents with clean drinking water. Specifically, he praised Maryam Nawaz’s innovative artificial rain experiment in Punjab, which successfully induced rainfall in several cities.
Cholistan’s water problem can be solved through innovation and modern technology. We’ve seen how Punjab gets flooded with rainwater, which can be conserved and utilized for agricultural purposes.
He said that Rs 211 billion cost is estimated for these canals, which should be spent on modern technology and innovation to resolve Cholistan’s water issue. The Spokesperson Sindh government invited the federal and Punjab governments to visit Thar, stating that Thar’s situation was similar to Cholistan’s, but the Sindh government has initiated a new era of prosperity in Thar by launching the coal project.
In Thar, clean drinking water filter plants have been installed, and small dams have promoted agriculture in the region. He pointed out that Sindh has only one water source, and the 1991 Water Accord had also not been implemented in it’s spirit.
Sindh has always made sacrifices. According to him, they have consistently championed the slogan “Pakistan Khappy” which does not intend to compromise on Sindh’s water rights.
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