Senators dive deep into water division debate

ISLAMABAD: Discussions surrounding water supply and scarcity across the country took center stage in the Senate session today. Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman spoke on the issue saying that people of Karachi do not have access to drinking water.

The senator said, adding that when floods occur, Sindh and Balochistan are most affected. “There is a scramble for water in Karachi. 20 years ago, the situation of the Indus River was very good but now canals are being dug from the Indus River to irrigate Cholistan. There is a huge water problem in Sindh, and lands are becoming barren,” Sherry Rehman said.

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“How will millions of acres of land be made fertile [in the country]; Pakistan already has a water shortage,” she said. She also informed the session that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has not met for a long time. “If there is any compulsion or an agreement has been signed, please share it with us. The figures are not given correctly in the Senate,” Sherry Rehman said.

An adjournment motion was also presented in the session regarding the construction of barrage dams for commercial commodity farming on the Indus River. Senator Sherry Rehman presented the previously approved adjournment motion for discussion. She said, “There was a strong protest in all areas of Sindh on the issue,” adding that Sindh was not consulted on the government decision.

She informed the session that the Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah clearly objected in the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) meeting. “Water is being diverted to turn the Cholistan desert into greenery,” she added. The senator also informed that Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has been reporting water shortage for 25 years.

“Efforts are being made to ensure a fair distribution. Both Balochistan and Sindh provinces have objected to this issue. How will seven million acres be made fertile when there is no water?” Sherry Rehman said.

She said that the Indus River used to flow behind Kotri and Guddu. But now the situation is different and the water is also less.

Senator Kamran Murtaza shared his viewpoint on the issue, saying, “I am not against building canals for water, but no one’s water should go.” He asked if Balochistan’s water was also being diverted, adding that there is a lot of land in Balochistan too and it will be more beneficial [to retain water there] than Cholistan.

“Caretaker governments cannot make such decisions, such decisions should be cancelled or suspended,” Kamran Murtaza said, adding that Balochistan is suffering from drought. “Do not draw such lines that will later become harmful.”

Senator Irfan Siddiqui weighed in and said that the rights of no province should be violated. “The water that Sindh gets should be free to decide what to do with its share of water. If it exceeds its share, then it is a violation of the 1991 agreement.”

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He said that if Punjab builds more canals from its share of canals, then there is no crime. “Sindh should not object to Punjab drawing canals from its share of water,” he said, adding, “We cannot say why Sindh is taking water to Thar from its share of water.”

Senator Dinesh Kumar submitted an attention notice in the session. He said that the share of water for Balochistan was kept very low, at only five percent. “The people of Balochistan are influenced by Sindh. We are told that Punjab is stopping our water, so [Sindh] is stopping Balochistan’s water. The water agreement should be implemented fully,” he said, adding that the land of Balochistan is very prosperous if it can only have access to water.”

“Have mercy on Balochistan. We are being crushed in your fight,” Kumar added.