The Sindh Prime Minister Murad Ali Shah issued a warning to the Federal Government on Tuesday, stating that the Popular Party of Pakistan (PPP) has the power to demolish the coalition led by PML-N, but is choosing the restriction to avoid a political crisis.
Speaking to a private news channel, he said: “We have an infinite capacity. We can knock them down, but we don’t want to avoid any crisis.” He warned to the center: “It does not push us to the point that a decision is made that makes everyone lose.”
The main minister reiterated the firm opposition of PPP to the project of the channel backed by the federal government under the green initiative of Pakistan. “The people of Sindh now will only agree on one thing: that this project should be abandoned,” he said, qualifying the controversial plan the only source of the in progress.
Shah criticized the management of the channel problem by the federal government, which has caused generalized protests between Sindh. In response to a 72 -hour ultimatum issued by protesters, he revealed that the federal government had initiated conversations about the matter and that the dialogue was progressing.
He confirmed that the construction of the Channel Project of more than RS250 billion has currently arrested due to the pressure of the Sindh government, and added that he had not yet received the approval of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
In increasing concerns about water distribution, the prime minister questioned the center on where additional water would be obtained for the six new channels. He stressed that any project of this type must be approved with the consent of the lower riverside provinces.
The Government had sought permission from the authority of the Indo River System (IRSA) for the project, citing that 27% of the river’s water flows to the sea.
However, Murad pointed out that the proposal did not mention water conservation measures and said the Sindh government has formally challenged IRSA certification. “This case has been pending with the Common Interest Council (CCI) since June last year,” he added.
