• Senate raises alarm over govt water diversion plan for corporate farming
• Senators demand resolution through Council of Common Interests
• Sherry warns of desertification in Sindh due to water diversion for Cholistan
• Govt dismisses opposition’s claims, says no dam, barrage or link canal being built on Indus
ISLAMABAD: The government’s plan to divert water from the Indus River for corporate farming sparked heated debate in the Senate on Tuesday, with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle urging the matter to be resolved at the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
PPP Vice President and Senate parliamentary leader Sherry Rehman criticised the proposal to construct six new canals without consulting relevant stakeholders.
Speaking on an adjournment motion, she wondered why the government was tight-lipped over controversial projects.
“If the caretakers could not understand the meaning of green Pakistan, at least we should understand it,” she said, demanding assurance that “half of Pakistan will not be made water-deficient for corporate farming”.
She asked the government to share with Sindh if there were some compulsions. “Let’s be very clear. This has to be sorted out. There are constitutional forums to sort this out,” she remarked and regretted that the CCI has not met for 11 months.
She said the PPP considers this move by the federal government to be a violation of Sindh’s rights and pointed out that Sindh was already the most affected province due to the “incompetence” of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA). Ms Rehman argued that irrigating barren land in Cholistan could lead to the desertification of Sindh’s fertile lands, jeopardising agricultural productivity and livelihoods. She estimated the project could displace 20 million people by creating widespread unemployment.
