LARKANA: Senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, who is also the party’s Sindh president, has alleged that Punjab had installed 1,500 big water-lifting machines at certain spots along the Indus course to “steal” Sindh’s share of water.

Speaking to Dawn at his residence here on Friday, Mr Khuhro expressed grave concern over the deepening crisis of irrigation water in Sindh. “The theft by Punjab is bound to render Sindh’s fertile lands barren,” he warned.

Mr Khuhro said that out of the 135,000 cusecs being released [to Sindh] at Taunsa, only 60,000 was reaching Guddu “because Punjab is lifting water with 1,500 big machines installed along the course”. Owing to a water shortage persisting for months, millions of acres of Sindh’s fertile lands had already been erode by sea intrusion along the Thatta-Badin coastline, he said.

He pointed out that currently only 3,000 cusecs was released in Rice Canal — the key irrigation channel for rice cultivation — instead of the official intake of 11,000 cusecs.

Dadu Canal (a perennial channel) is getting only 1,500 cusecs which was a very meagre amount as against its actual flow. “This is all disastrous [for Sindh],” he said.

CJP’s remarks termed ‘lip service’

Commenting on recent remarks by Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar regarding paucity of water in Sindh, the senior PPP leader said “mere lip service is not an answer to the issue; there should be some action to address this sensitive issue”.

In reply to a question about the election commission’s decision of lifting the ban on recruitment, Mr Khuhro questioned an unelected [caretaker] government’s authority to take such decisions. He insisted that the matter of fresh appointments should be left for the elected representatives to decide.

“It looks strange that it was the same Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that had earlier imposed a ban on recruitment when the election schedule was announced and now it has itself entrusted the caretakers to make appointments,” Mr Khuhro argued.

By doing so, he added, it [the ECP] was creating problems for the future government and putting question mark on the transparency of the elections.

SC’s offer to Musharraf

About retired General Pervez Musharraf’s reluctance to return home despite Supreme Court’s offer that had provided him space to appear before it and file his nomination papers, Mr Khuhro said “it speaks of his intentions and courage”.

The PPP leader called for bringing “coward” Musharraf to the country through Interpol and dragging him to court.

In reply to a question about Zulfi Bukhari’s travel abroad despite his name having been on the exit control list, Mr Khuhro alleged that [Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief] Imran Khan was instrumental in facilitating Bukhari’s travel abroad.

‘GDA candidates unhappy with democracy’

The Sindh PPP chief was of the view that the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) was formed under a specific umbrella, and said that those who preferred to survive under it were unhappy with democracy. “They have started crying because they can see their defeat in the elections,” he said, adding that they were for some time calling for the postponement of the elections.

Bilawal’s security

With regard to the security of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Mr Khuhro referred to an application already moved in court, and said that security personnel in plain clothes should not be deployed [to protect the PPP chairman].

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2018