• Says PPP opposed to governor’s rule in KP, though ‘ingredients are there’
• Voices concern over Centre’s failure to convene CCI meeting
• Promises not a single drop of Sindh’s water will be given to anyone

KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has declared that the Pakistan Peoples Party will not compromise on Sindh’s water at any cost.

He said this while talking to reporters after attending a health conference, organised by the Sukkur chapter of the Sindh Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, here at a local hotel on Friday evening.

On the matter of Sindh’s water rights, he reiterated his party’s position, saying, “Not a single drop of Sindh’s water will be given to anyone. We will neither surrender our rights nor claim anyone else’s.”

When asked about an inordinate delay in holding a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), Shah expressed concerns over the federal government’s failure to convene the meeting of the key constitutional forum.

“It has been nine months since the last CCI meeting, and this is not just my concern but an issue for the entire country,” he said.

He said it was clearly mentioned in the Constitution that no water scheme could be executed without the CCI approval.

“And no such scheme [of new canals] has been approved from the CCI,” he added.

In response to nationalist parties’ criticism, the CM pointed out that some nationalist groups did not attend the multiparty conference convened by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-Fazl) because the PPP was invited, suggesting that their main issue is with the PPP.

“We raise Sindh’s rights on every forum and are not afraid to speak on any platform,” he asserted.

About government’s plan to impose a ban on the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf or governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said the PPP opposed any such decision.

“I think ingredients are there, but despite this the PPP will never want the governor’s rule or ban on any party,” the CM said, referring to the worsening law and order situation in KP and the killing of over 100 people in Kurram during the days when the KP chief minister was himself leading a sit-in in Islamabad.

He said although the governor’s rule was not an extra-constitutional step, it had become quite challenging to implement.

He recalled that during the days of the then government of the PTI at the Centre, discussions were held on a daily basis about the imposition of the governor’s rule in Sindh.

Without naming the PTI, he, however, said that the political party and the province concerned must review their actions and correct their course to reform themselves.

Murad reviews K-IV augmentation project

Earlier in the day, the CM chaired a meeting to launch the K-IV augmentation project.

He directed the energy department to issue tenders for the installation of a 132 kV grid station and the laying of transmission lines and instructed the local government department to begin the procurement process for the civil works associated with the project.

“We have to meet the deadline of December 2025 that I set for the completion of the K-IV augmentation project,” he said, adding that whatever bottleneck might emerge, he would remove them.

He stated that the augmentation of the K-IV project consisted of two major components — civil work and the establishment of a grid station, along with the installation of a transmission line.

While the main project was being executed by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), the augmentation and downstream allied works was being managed by the Sindh local government department and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation.

During the briefing, the chief minister was informed about three reservoirs and filtration plants located at Manghopir Road, Taiser Town, and Pipri.

The CM was told that a water transmission line will be constructed from the main Reservoir-1 to the Y junction, from Reservoir 2 to the Federal Urdu University, and then from the Federal Urdu University to Gul Bai, while a line will also connect Reservoir 3 to Banaras.

There is a 2.7-km common corridor for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line

Shah directed the project director to begin laying pipelines along the 2.7-km common corridor of Red Line from Hassan Square to Aziz Bhatti Park.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2024