• Murad denies reports of construction of Marot Canal to bring water to Cholistan
• Urges PM to announce termination of controversial irrigation scheme
• Warns PML-N govt can collapse without support from PPP lawmakers

LARKANA: Faced with a wave of protests against his own government in Sindh over the issue of new canals, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday vehemently denied that the Marot Canal was being constructed, declaring that the Pakistan Peoples Party was prepared to make any sacrifice to protect the water rights of the province.

The Marot Canal is one of the proposed irrigation channels designed to divert water from the Sulemanki Barrage on the Sutlej River to Fort Abbas in the Cholistan desert.

Talking to the media in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on the eve of the death anniversary of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the CM clarified that “only preliminary profiling covering a few hundred feet was conducted in July, which does not equate to the commencement of construction” of the canal.

Reaffirming his government’s unwavering stance against the Marot Canal project, he asked, “How can the canal be constructed when it hasn’t even received approval?”

Criticising certain news channels for what he called spreading misinformation regarding the canal project, he lamented that some political parties, instead of opposing the canals, had taken to the streets to protest against the PPP. “As long as the PPP exists, the canal will not be built,” he declared.

The CM called upon Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to promptly announce the termination of the Marot Canal project, noting that both the federal and Sindh governments had opposed it in the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting.

He stressed the importance of provincial harmony and cautioned against actions that could worsen inter-provincial tensions.

Mr Shah reminded that the federal government relied on the PPP’s support, cautioning that without his party MNAs, the PML-N government could collapse. “If the canal project proceeds without Sindh’s consent, the PPP may withdraw its support,” he warned.

Call to consult provinces on water issues

Mr Shah emphasised the necessity of consulting provinces on water-related issues, as mandated by the Constitution.

He revealed that despite multiple requests for a Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting to discuss the canals project, no response had been received from the federal government.

“They [federal government] cannot evade this issue; the Constitution requires provincial consultation on water matters,” he said, adding that the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) had approved Punjab’s request for additional water for the Cholistan Canal project, a decision that has generated strong opposition in Sindh, and his government has opposed it strongly.

He noted that based on historical data from 1976 to 2022 Punjab argued that an average of 27 million acre-feet of water flows downstream to Kotri Barrage annually, while the officially required environmental flow was 8.5 MAF, which should be 10 MAF.

“Sindh maintains that at least 20.5 MAF is essential to prevent seawater intrusion and sustain the Indus delta ecosystem,” he said.

He added that with an existing national water shortage of 11 MAF and only eight MAF currently reaching the Arabian Sea, Punjab claimed that seven MAF constituted surplus water, justifying its demand.

“However, Sindh has raised concerns regarding the potential depletion of its water resources, warning that further diversions can exacerbate water shortages in its agricultural regions and endanger the fragile delta ecosystem,” he explained.

Regarding agricultural concerns, Mr Shah mentioned that the government would not set wheat prices this year, allowing market forces to determine them.

However, he assured that the Sindh government was developing a scheme to ensure farmers receive a fair price for their produce.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2025