Pakistan opposition submits resolution in parliament against disputed canal project

Pakistan’s largest opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), submitted a resolution at the lower house of Parliament on Thursday against controversial Cholistan Canal project, citing potential reductions in Sindh's water share and environmental impacts.

The resolution was submitted to the speaker's office in the National Assembly.

Titled “Addressing Sindh's Reservations Regarding the Green Pakistan Initiative of Constructing Canals on the Indus River”, the resolution demands an emergency CCI meeting, an independent audit of water allocation, and a suspension of canal construction until Sindh's reservations are addressed.

The resolution highlights that Sindh heavily depends on the Indus River for agriculture, domestic needs, and ecological balance. It raises concerns over the construction of canals in Punjab, including the Cholistan Canal projects under the Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI), approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) in October 2024, fearing reduced water share and environmental damage for Sindh.

It also emphasizes that the Constitution of Pakistan, under Articles 153, 154, and 155, ensures equitable resource distribution among provinces and grants the Council of Common Interests (CCI) the authority to resolve water disputes. The Water Apportionment Accord, 1991, and the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Act, 1992, set the framework for water allocation, which must be respected to safeguard provincial rights.

Sindh’s formal reservations submitted to the CCI in July 2024 call for transparency, scientific evaluation, and consensus before proceeding with such projects.

The resolution further includes the following points:

• The Government of Pakistan, in strict adherence to Article 154 of the Constitution, shall convene an emergency meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) within 15 days to deliberate and resolve the reservations of the Province of Sindh concerning the Cholistan canal projects under the Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI), ensuring all provincial stakeholders are heard.
• Construction of the Cholistan canal projects shall be immediately suspended until the CCI grants approval, as mandated by Article 155, to safeguard inter-provincial harmony and compliance with constitutional norms.
• An independent audit of the Indus River System Authority's (IRSA) Water Availability Certificate, issued under the IRSA Act, 1992, for the Cholistan canals shall be conducted by a neutral panel of hydrologists and environmental experts within 60 days, with findings tabled before this House to verify compliance with the Water Apportionment Accord, 1991, and assess impacts on Sindh's water share.
• A moratorium shall be imposed on all new canal projects on the Indus River system until the Water Apportionment Accord, 1991, is fully enforced, ensuring that Sindh's allocated share of 48.76 million acre-feet (MAF) and the lower riparian rights of downstream provinces are protected, including a minimum environmental flow of 10 MAF below Kotri Barrage to sustain the Indus Delta.
• The federal government and provincial authorities shall ensure mandatory, transparent consultations with downstream stakeholders, including Sindh's elected representatives, farmers, and civil society, with public hearings documented and accessible prior to any CCI decision. Be it further resolved that this resolution be forwarded to the Federal Common Interests (CCI), and other relevant authorities for immediate action.

The resolution was signed by PTI parliamentarians, with Parliamentary Secretary Zartaj Gul Wazir underlining that the party aims to bring PPP, MQM, and GDA on board.

Ali Muhammad Khan urged PPP to support PTI’s resolution if they oppose the canal projects. Wazir also called on the Speaker of the National Assembly to include the resolution in Friday's session agenda for discussion.

When asked by a journalist about PTI blaming President Asif Ali Zardari for "selling Sindh’s water" while seeking his party’s support, Ali Muhammad Khan responded cryptically, asking why Zardari fell ill. He added that if Form 45 results had been issued, PTI would have had a government in Sindh as well.

What’s the issue?

The canal project has triggered sharp political backlash in Sindh, where nationalist parties and civil society groups have led protests across the province. Critics say the project favors Punjab at the expense of Sindh’s already strained water supply.

The PPP, a key ally in the federal government, has opposed the plan. Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has warned the federal government to roll back the initiative. President Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah have also spoken against the project, with Shah vowing that it will never be executed as long as the PPP remains in power.

The project

The federal government has proposed building six new canals, including in Cholistan, to bring around 400,000 acres of barren land under cultivation.

Government sources estimate the cost of the Cholistan canal project at PKR 211.4 billion.

IRSA defended its decision, saying the water allocation was based on availability and was made in line with the 1991 Water Accord. However, the move has deepened provincial tensions and renewed debate over resource allocation and federal fairness.