Canal row

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Politics of convenience prevailed as estranged allies in the coalition agreed to shelve the contentious canal issue. The proposed construction of six water canals on River Indus had almost torpedoed smooth sailing at the federal government; and Sindh was up in arms, unrelenting to compromise as a lower riparian entity.

The somersault incidentally came hours after India unilaterally held in abeyance the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, providing a face-saving to the warring allies as a consolation to patch up politically. The official word, however, is to delay the decision until the Council of Common Interest, a constitutional body on intra-provincial affairs, meets and deliberates upon its pros and cons.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP chairperson Bilawal Zardari looked somber as they played to the gallery by defusing the crisis. The war of words between the two allies and protests across Sindh had kept the beleaguered coalition on tenterhook for days. It is a given that no political homework was done before the ambitious decision to construct the canals to irrigate the barren lands of Cholistan in Punjab was announced at the inauguration of Green Pakistan Initiative.

While the corporate farming scheme is indeed beneficial for the country — as it attracts valuable foreign investment and ensures food security — a consensus among the broad spectrum of stakeholders as well as experts is essential for the gigantic project to go ahead.

With the controversy taking a backseat, now is the time for political parties across the board to sit down and jot down a national agenda. Provincial coordination is one of the weakest and all the federating units must pay attention to it.

The revulsion in Balochistan and K-P, and the sense of parochialism seen in Sindh and Northern Areas, is all owing to the disgust that is there because of uneven distribution of resources, and the lack of involvement of locals in decision-making. Empowering the people, respecting their mandate and ensuring that no decisions are made in haste to serve vested interests will take care of a coordinated Pakistan.