Key Points
- Protests erupt in Sindh against the federal government’s plan to build six new canals under the Green Pakistan Initiative, with widespread fears of water diversion from Sindh to Punjab.
- Kheal Das Kohistani, Pakistan’s Hindu Minister of State for Religious Affairs, was attacked with tomatoes and potatoes by demonstrators in Thatta district but was unharmed.
- Police have arrested Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party leader Syed Jalal Shah and named several others in the FIR linked to the attack.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Information Minister Atta Tarar, and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah strongly condemned the attack, promising strict action and a thorough investigation.
- The PPP, ruling in Sindh and part of the federal coalition, continues to oppose the canal projects, citing threats to Sindh’s irrigation and water security.
Islamabad: Political and social unrest is intensifying in Pakistan’s Sindh province as opposition mounts against the federal government’s controversial plan to construct six new irrigation canals under the Green Pakistan Initiative. The project, backed by the federal government, Punjab authorities, and the military, aims to irrigate land in the Cholistan region but has triggered fears in Sindh of a worsening water crisis due to reduced downstream flow of the Indus River.
PPP’s Stand: Protecting Sindh’s Water Rights
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which governs Sindh for a third consecutive term and is part of the ruling coalition at the center, has taken a firm stand against the canal projects. Sindh leaders argue that diverting water to South Punjab will severely impact irrigation and agriculture in Sindh, a province already grappling with water shortages. The PPP has demanded that the federal government address Sindh’s concerns before proceeding with any new canal construction.
Federal Government Opens Dialogue Amid Tensions
Amid mounting protests, senior Sindh minister Sharjeel Memon announced that the federal government is now ready to initiate dialogue. Rana Sanaullah, Prime Minister’s adviser and Punjab PML-N president, has reached out to Sindh leaders to start discussions aimed at resolving the dispute.
Attack on Hindu Minister Highlights Volatility
The unrest took a violent turn when Kheal Das Kohistani, the Hindu Minister of State for Religious Affairs and a PML-N MP from Sindh’s Jamshoro district, was attacked in Thatta while passing through a protest zone. Demonstrators, angered by the canal projects, pelted his motorcade with tomatoes and potatoes and chanted slogans against the federal government. Fortunately, Kohistani was unharmed.
Police quickly arrested Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party leader Syed Jalal Shah for alleged involvement in the attack, and several other activists have been named in the FIR.
Government and Party Leaders Condemn Violence
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack as “unacceptable” and assured Kohistani of a thorough investigation and exemplary punishment for those responsible. Federal Information Minister Atta Tarar and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah echoed these sentiments, stressing that no one is above the law and directing police to swiftly apprehend all culprits.
The Broader Backdrop: Water Security and Provincial Rights
The canal dispute has become a flashpoint for provincial rights and water security in Pakistan. Sindh’s nationalist groups and the PPP warn the canal projects could devastate local agriculture and threaten the livelihoods of millions. The controversy has also exposed rifts within the federal coalition, with the PPP demanding that Sindh’s water rights be protected under the 1991 Water Accord and threatening to escalate protests if their concerns are ignored.
As the federal government moves to open talks, the situation remains tense in Sindh, with both political and grassroots opposition determined to defend the province’s water rights and agricultural future.
