Attorneys and opposition groups opposing the proposed six additional canals on the Indus River were urged by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday not to disrupt the public by blocking roadways during their demonstrations.
Amid public outcry and significant objections in Sindh, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Army Staff Chief Gen. Asim Munir launched the ambitious Cholistan project on February 15 to irrigate the plains of south Punjab. The Sindh Assembly also voted a unanimous resolution against the proposal in March.
Residents and political groups, including the ruling coalition ally PPP, have demonstrated against the proposed project around the country in recent months.
“Please, continue your protest — we support it — but do not cause suffering for the public,” CM Murad remarked in response to a question during a press conference in Karachi today.
“But they should also consider and take care of the difficulties faced by the people,” he said, adding that the opposition parties’ and attorneys’ protests were “good” because they were for the cause of Sindh’s people.
“Is this a protest?” the chief minister cried, “blocking roads and hurting your own people of Sindh?”
He emphasized that the Sindh government did not take any action against those obstructing the M-9 motorway in order to “maintain unity” over the canals project issue, but he did reiterate that he did not mind the protests.
Cattle owners were also greatly distressed as their products were stopped, according to CM Murad, who claimed to have seen films of demonstrators at these protests blocking ambulances from passing before permitting them to continue.
Along with Cardinal Joseph Coutts, the Archbishop Emeritus of Karachi, the chief minister was holding the press conference to honor Pope Francis and offer condolences for his passing yesterday.
Murad responded, “I trust them [lawyers], as they are doing the same work as we are,” in response to a question concerning attorneys’ “lack of confidence” in the Sindh administration.
Such comments, he said, were “inappropriate,” and the PPP had “led” the opposition to the canals project.
“Canal construction has been suspended since July 2024.”
CM Murad also denied rumors of recent or ongoing construction work, asserting that the six canals project has been on hold since July 2024.
He stated during the media appearance, “No work has been done on the project since last July. Even that was not labor; only a few hundred thousand dollars’ worth of goods was transported there.
“Maybe even you [the media] were unaware that there was any such project underway in July [2024],” he said, asserting that the Sindh government had succeeded in halting the work.
The chief minister noted that the Sindh government had brought up the matter with the Council of Common Interests (CCI) in June 2024, while the opposition parties had started their demonstrations in September of the same year.
He explained that in order to stop the project’s progress, his government had also written letters to the National Economic Council’s Executive Committee (ENCE).
CM Murad explained that the approval has been pending before the Ence since November 2024, and the project has been on hold since July 2024.
In addition, the PPP leader claimed that the Sindh government was “unhappy with the upper riparian province,” which is Punjab, which is governed by the PML-N, a coalition partner of his party.
CM Murad claimed that by displaying the meaningless inauguration—which wasn’t even an inauguration—they [Punjab] caused this confusion.
For not pursuing the “project further before the Ence,” he expressed gratitude to the federal government. “However, I’m disappointed that they haven’t canceled it yet. He insisted, “We want the project’s demise to be announced as soon as possible.
According to CM Murad, the canals will benefit neither the nation nor Sindh.
“We are prepared to discuss concerns related to food and water security with the Center. However, he continued, “They will be addressed by increasing our productivity and efficient use of water, not by canals.”
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