By: Aftab Ahmad Goraya
“To make your desert bloom, do you want to turn my garden into a wasteland?” These words are now on the lips of every child in Sindh. The growing anger in Sindh against the extraction of new canals from Indus River (Sindhu Sain) is intensifying. People from all walks of life are joining the protests, but decision makers, including the Federal and Punjab governments, are showing complete indifference to the matter. The water of Indus River is a highly sensitive issue, as the lives, agriculture, and economy of the people of Sindh depend on it. Therefore, regardless of political affiliation, every resident of Sindh is strongly protesting against the construction of these new canals.
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Although Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has taken a clear and firm stance on the issue, this strong position has had no impact on the Federal and Punjab governments, and the construction of the canals continues at a rapid pace. If PPP, despite its hardline stance, fails to stop Federal government from extracting canals from the Indus River, it risks facing serious political consequences in Sindh. PPP must immediately engage in a decisive dialogue with the Federal government and reconsider its alliance with it. This step is crucial not only to address concerns of the people of Sindh regarding the controversial Cholistan Canal Project but also to protect PPP’s political capital from any potential damage.
In 1991, all four provinces of Pakistan reached a consensus on water distribution, known as Water Apportionment Accord. According to this agreement, Punjab was allocated 55.94 MAF (million acre-feet) of water, Sindh 48.76 MAF, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 8.78 MAF, and Balochistan 3.87 MAF. This agreement was considered a major achievement because all provinces voluntarily agreed to a mutually acceptable formula for water distribution.
Since water distribution has always been a sensitive issue, it is crucial to avoid tampering with such settled and sensitive matters. If changes are absolutely necessary, they should be made with the consent of all stakeholders. It is due to one such tampering that the Cholistan Canal Project has triggered serious questions and controversies, will the water for these canals come from Punjab’s agreed share under the 1991 Accord, or will it come from water exceeding Punjab’s agreed share? If this water is taken from outside Punjab’s share, then Sindh’s agriculture and economy could face a disastrous situation. Sindh has already been complaining that it does not receive its full share of water under the agreement. Since Federal government has made no serious effort to address Sindh’s concerns, the unrest in Sindh regarding the Cholistan Canal Project is quite natural.
There is no serious effort to address Sindh’s reservations or to build a consensus on this controversial canal project, rather it is being pushed forward forcefully.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan are already grappling with severe terrorism, with innocent citizens losing their lives in frequent attacks. In Balochistan, separatist movements have created significant unrest. In such circumstances, this controversial canal project, aimed at irrigating Cholistan using the Indus River’s water, has pushed the relatively peaceful province of Sindh toward agitation and protest. The decision makers, Punjab, and Federal government must understand that forcing such controversial projects through can have far reaching consequences. Such matters should always be settled through consensus and mutual agreement among all stakeholders. Provincial divisions are already at a peak, and in a federation, all units are equal, unity can only be maintained if everyone is taken along. Punjab should show magnanimity and avoid becoming part of any such controversial project.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, representing the people of Sindh, has repeatedly demanded a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to immediately address this issue and explain where the water for these new canals will come from when there is no surplus water in the Indus River beyond the agreed provincial shares. Murad Ali Shah is also demanding that IRSA’s (Indus River System Authority) water distribution records should be made public to the provinces.
The justification given in favor of the Cholistan Canal Project is that Punjab will use its allocated share of water for these canals. Even if this is accepted, why there is hesitation in calling a Council of Common Interests meeting, as repeatedly demanded by Murad Ali Shah? If a province is expressing deep concerns over such a major project, why not convene the CCI to address these concerns and explain which areas of Punjab will see reductions in their water supply to accommodate Cholistan?
In fact, this is not just a matter for Sindh, Punjab should also object. If there is no surplus water in the Indus River, water for these canals will inevitably come by cutting into the existing share of either Sindh or Punjab. While Sindh’s people and government are raising their voices loudly and launching a movement, there is silence from Punjab. If Punjab’s water is diverted, the farmers of central Punjab and southern Punjab will surely suffer, especially rice cultivation, along with wheat and other crops.
Furthermore, after providing canal water to Cholistan, corporate farming will be introduced there instead of farmer settlements. Corporate farming means that powerful capitalist lobbies will demand an uninterrupted water supply throughout the year regardless of whether it destroys rice crops in central Punjab. This is an unwise approach, building housing colonies and concrete structures on fertile lands of central and southern Punjab, while trying to green the deserts using water that is not even available.
Beyond agriculture, the Indus water is also crucial for the environment and for protecting coastal populations from sea intrusion. The Delta, where river meets the sea requires a minimum ecological flow to push back the saline seawater. When dams and barrages were built on the Indus, this ecological flow reduced drastically, leading to thousands of acres in Thatta and Badin being swallowed by the sea. The Federal government itself commissioned an international study to assess the ecological flow needed at the delta, but ever since the large scale diversions, this required flow has not been maintained.
Before moving forward with the controversial Cholistan Canal Project, addressing Sindh’s concerns and creating inter provincial consensus is absolutely essential. If the project proceeds without such agreement, it will not only deal a severe blow to national unity but will also lead to serious environmental consequences. Decision makers, the Federal government, and the Punjab government need to think a thousand times before taking any decisive steps.
For the people of Sindh, Indus River is not just an economic and agricultural lifeline; it is also tied to their spiritual and cultural identity. Many poets have expressed deep reverence for Indus River in their poetry. One hopes that the decision makers will not only respect the economic and agricultural rights of a federating unit but also its deep emotional attachment to the Indus River. Any hasty decision without consensus could create a serious rift between Sindh and the federation.
