Raza Rabbani urges federal govt to halt Cholistan Canal construction

Mian Raza Rabbani, the former Chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, has issued a strong statement opposing the controversial Cholistan Canal Project.

He called on the federal government to halt its construction, citing serious reservations from the Province of Sindh.

In his press release, Raza Rabbani condemned the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) for approving the project despite the objections raised by the Sindh government.

He asserted that the project should not proceed to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) given the province's concerns, particularly as Sindh is a lower riparian.

“The Government of Sindh has raised this issue in the Council of Common Interests (CCI), which is the appropriate constitutional forum for decisions on such controversial projects,” he stated.

He argued that the CDWP's decision to refer the matter to Ecnec, before the CCI could address it, undermines the constitutional process and infringes upon the rights of the province.

Raza Rabbani highlighted a significant constitutional violation, noting that the federal government has failed to summon a CCI meeting within the required 90 days, as mandated by Article 154 of the Constitution of 1973.

He urged that a meeting be convened immediately to discuss the Cholistan Canal Project, emphasizing the need to consider Sindh's reservations.

Raza Rabbani’s remarks underscore the ongoing tensions between federal and provincial authorities regarding resource management and development projects in Pakistan.

Sindh government rejects CDWP approval of Cholistan Canal Project

Earlier the Sindh government has firmly opposed the approval of the Cholistan canal project by the CDWP, as stated by Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro.

Jam Khan Shoro highlighted that the project poses a threat to the province's water resources and intends to stage a strong protest against the federal decision.

Despite extensive discussions in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and significant objections from Sindh, the CDWP has pushed the project forward to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval.

The minister emphasised that the approval could be detrimental to Sindh's interests, warning, "Sindh is already suffering from a water shortage, and this canal could turn our lands barren."

The Cholistan canal project, valued at Rs211.399 billion, has raised alarm in Sindh regarding its potential impact on the province's limited water supply.

Previous objections were raised against the construction of the Cholistan Canal Chobara Branch, leading to protests from nationalist parties within the province.

Sindh's government had conditioned its support for the canal on an increase in water availability. However, Punjab claims that the canal will initially receive floodwater for four months, with water supplied from Punjab for the remainder of the month.