Sindh-chief Minister Murad Ali Shah issued a warning to the federal government on Tuesday, saying that the Pakistani peoples’ party (PPP) has the power to lower the coalition led by PML-N but chooses restraint to prevent a political crisis.
Addressing a private news channel, he said: “We have an infinite capacity. We can reverse them, but we don’t want to avoid any crisis. ” He warned the center: “Do not push us to the point where a decision is made that makes everyone lose.”
The chief minister reiterated the firm opposition of the PPP to the channel project supported by the federal government within the framework of the initiative of Green Pakistan. “The inhabitants of the Sindh will now agree only on one thing-that this project should be abandoned,” he said, calling the controversial plan the only source of the current crisis.
Shah criticized the management by the federal government of the question of the canal, which has aroused many manifestations through the Sindh. In response to a 72 -hour ultimatum published by demonstrators, he revealed that the federal government had initiated talks on the issue and that dialogue progressed.
He confirmed that the construction of the channel project of more than 250 billion rupees had currently been interrupted due to the pressure of the Sindh government, adding that it had not yet received the approval of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).
Stressing the concerns about the distribution of water, the chief minister questioned the center in the place where additional water for the six new channels would come. He stressed that such a project was to be approved with the consent of the lower riparian provinces.
The government had requested authorization from the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) for the project, citing that 27% of the river waters flow into the sea.
However, Murad noted that the proposal did not mention the water conservation measures and said that the Sindh government had officially challenged the IRSA certification. “This case is underway with the Common interest Council (CCI) since June of last year,” he added.
