LARKANA/SUKKUR/HYDERABAD: Criticism of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s stance on Punjab’s share in Indus water and controversial canals continues to create ripples in Sindh.

After various nationalist entities, including Sindh United Party (SUP), the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) condemned the CM’s views and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam publicly rejected her stance on Friday.

Addressing a rally in Larkana on Friday, JUI-F Sindh President Maulana Rashid Mahmood Soomro said: “[Indus] water doesn’t belong to Maryam Nawaz or Punjab alone; it belongs to all stakeholders including Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and KP”.

The JUI-F organised the rally after Juma prayers at a seminary on Dodai Road to condemn genocide of Palestinians by Israel, arrest of Global Sumud Flotilla participants by Zionist regime and US President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan.

JUI-F warns Sindh people may go to any extent for their share; SCA says ‘canal slogan’ aimed at neutralising flood-hit people’s resentment against Punjab govt

Criticising politics of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Maulana Soomro remarked that the PML-N always played the ‘Punjab card’ and the PPP always played the ‘Sindh card’, and observed that both parties used to gain powers through these ‘tactics’. Referring to Maryam’s recent statement, he said she was right in observing that Sindh was on the brink of destruction. “Although both Punjab and Sindh get the same budget, when one looks at their condition, Sindh appears to be 50 years behind Punjab,” the Maulana commented.

“Sindh’s rulers have looted and plundered the province. Instead of being offended by Maryam’s words, they should practically serve people,” he said.

The JUI-F leader said that his party rejected Maryam’s views [on water and canals]. “No single province has the authority to take decisions on the issues pertaining to Indus water. Any such decision can be taken with the consensus of all four provinces, Indus River System Authority (Irsa) and

representatives of provinces. Neither [Pakistan’s] money nor water belongs to Punjab alone. Even today, Sindh contributes 70pc of the total national revenues which enables the entire country to sustain. And water also belongs to the whole country”.

Maulana Soomro said that if Maryam’s statement is assessed, it would show no difference between her stance and India’s.

He declared: “Water is the red line for Sindh, and the people of Sindh are ready to go to any extent over this right”.

SCA against new canals, dams

Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) President Prof Dr Syed Nadeem Qamar has also condemned Maryam’s statement saying that people of Sindh would not allow construction of any dam or canal.

In a statement issued in Hyderabad on Friday, he said that as per the Irsa allocation, Punjab is entitled to 55MAF and Sindh 48MAF. “But Sindh receives only 41MAF as its 7MAF is stolen by Punjab.”

He said that the Cholis­tan canals plan was like a Kalabagh dam issue.

He said the Punjab government floated idea of canals only to divert people’s attention away from the destruction caused by the recent floods. “The sole purpose of this ‘canal slogan’ is to shift flood-hit people’s anger and resentment against the Punjab government.”

Dr Nadeem Qamar said that Maryam Nawaz should tell people of Punjab that Cholistan canals plan is not meant for the benefit of Punjab’s common people, but for the corporate farming.

Not only Sindh’s, but Punjab’s farmers would also lose their water share to corporate farming, he added.

Published in Dawn, October 4th, 2025