——- Says PPP must respond to anti-canals protests in Sindh
——- Adds “attacks against PPP, federation” intensifying in Sindh
——- Claims PPP finds itself in difficult position due to certain elements
Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs, Rana Sanaullah urged the Paki-stan Peoples Party (PPP) to respond to the criticism over the contentious canals project, stressing that the federation should not be undermined.
“Attacks against the PPP and the federation over the canals project are intensifying in Sindh… PPP must counter such criticism effectively,” the senior PML-N leader said.
The federal government plans to construct six canals on the Indus River to irrigate the Cholistan desert — a project that was rejected by its main ally PPP and other Sindh nationalist parties.
According to government sources, the estimated cost of the Cholistan canal and system is Rs211.4 bil-lion and through the project, thousands of acres of barren land can be used for agricultural purposes and 400,000 acres of land can be brought under cultivation, The News reported.
Almost all political and religious parties, nationalist groups and civil society organisations staged wide-spread rallies across Sindh against the controversial plan.
The Bilawal Bhutto-led party has time and again expressed reservations over the project, with Presi-dent Asif Ali Zardari cautioning the government that some of its unilateral policies are causing “grave strain” on the federation.
In the statement, Sanaullah said that the issue of canals is not bigger than the federation itself and should be resolved through consensus. “Progress will only be made when there is mutual agreement on the matter,” he said.
He revealed that the issue was discussed during a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. He added that the prime minister has assured that the mat-ter will be resolved with consensus.
Separately, Sanaullah — while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’ — said that PPP finds itself in a difficult position regarding the canals project due to certain elements in Sindh who “claim to be the most sympathetic to the province”.
He added that these elements have politicised the project, just as they did with the Kalabagh Dam.
He noted that the project has both positive and negative aspects, but a solution can only be found through dialogue. However, he regretted that the PPP was now struggling to hold discussions on the issue due to the controversy surrounding it.
“The matter can only be resolved in relevant forums, particularly in the upcoming Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting,” he said. He also criticised the elements, for making projects of national im-portance controversial for political gains.
Sanaullah pointed out that the PPP has been speaking clearly on the canal project for the past two months, yet it is still being accused of colluding with the federal government. He added that consensus can be built either through the CCI or another suitable mechanism.
The PM’s aide said that the issue had been blown out of proportion even before the right time for dis-cussion arrived, making it increasingly challenging for the PPP to engage in meaningful talks.
A day earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the PPP has the strength, capability, and authority to stop the Cholistan project, emphasising that this power will be used if necessary.
“We are prepared to go to any lengths to protect the rights of Sindh, which I describe as the rights of the people of Pakistan,” the provincial chief executive said while speaking to journalists at the Chief Minister House.
