Centre expands outreach in Sindh

After downplaying Sindh's nationalist political leaders as mandate-less entities, Prime Minister's political adviser Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday contacted two of them, asking for a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over the controversial canals' project.

Sanaullah called Sindh United Party (SUP) President Syed Zain Shah and Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) President Ayaz Latif Palijo as well as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl's (JUI-F) Sindh Chapter General Secretary Allama Rashid Mehmood Soomro.

Shah, who also heads a 17-party guild titled 'Darya Bachayo Tehreek [save the river movement]', told The Express Tribune that Sana told him that the government wanted to find a mutually-agreed solution to the ongoing standoff.

"I told him that I will have to consult with all the allies as well as with the representatives of the lawyers and farmers before responding to their invitation for the meeting," he said. According to him, no details about the time and place of the meeting were discussed. "I don't know but there may be some pre-conditions for the meeting, which we will come to know after consulting all the allies."

Palijo candidly told the prime minister's adviser that widespread anger and agitation existed in Sindh against the canals. "But the problem can be resolved if the government immediately cancels the project."

While responding to the meeting invitation, Palijo told Rana Sanaullah that the political parties protesting against the canals were taking decisions after consultation. "All political parties in Sindh agree that the government should withdraw from the project."

There is massive protest movement in the province against the six new canals to be built on Indus. The National and Indus highways have been blocked by sit-ins at over a dozen locations, including four sit-ins by the legal fraternity with their central camp at Babarloi Bypass, Khairpur.

On Sunday and Monday, Rana Sana spoke with Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon and discussed the issue. Rana Sana said that the federal government was open to talks on the project to allay Sindh's concerns. Memon also agreed to the need for talks on the issue.

On Tuesday, Sana spoke with Soomro and offered talks to the JUI on the canals controversy. However, according to sources, Soomro emphasised that the province's other political parties, including the nationalist parties, and the lawyers should also be included in the consultation process.

Soomro impressed upon the prime minister's adviser that work on the controversial canals should be stopped immediately before starting any talks. He made it clear that JUI Sindh had a firm stance that there would be no compromise on Sindh's water.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Rana Sanaullah said that no-one had any intention of stealing Sindh's water. He added that the Sindh government was ready for dialogue on the issue. "This matter has been brought to the notice of the prime minister, who will take an appropriate decision on it.

Commenting on a speech of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at a public rally in Sindh, in which he warned that the water distribution issue could endanger the federation, the adviser said that "many things are spoken in a passionate speech" but there should be limit to what was stated.

(WITH INPUTS FROM OUR ISLAMABAD CORRESPONDENT)