• PPP senators demanded to discuss the proposed canals
• Opposition, journalists get out of packa
ISLAMABAD: The Minister of Law and Justice Nazir Tarar has refused to make a history of a history under the Commonwealth Council (CCI) Council to discuss the water distribution dispute between the provinces.
On Monday, the case of the proposed canals on the Indus River was once again gathered, when members of the PPP raised the issue and called for a CCI meeting, in which the four provincial prime ministers are as a member. –
Meanwhile, the opposition went out of the House after a noise on the amendment of the 2016 prevention, the PTI Electronic Crimes Act.
A day earlier, after the approval of the Senate Standing Committee, journalists also left the media gallery in protest against the proposed legislation, most likely it is likely that the upper house was approved today (Tuesday) after the approval of the Senate Standing Committee. Will go
Law Minister Tarhar supported the opposition to disrupt the proceedings and said that the protest is meaningless because the bill is not being passed today.
He said the Senate Standing Committee for Interior, which approved the bill, was chaired by a PTI legislator.
ANP Senator Omar Farooq presented the committee’s report on the bill.
Expressing his reservations on the bill, he said it was a violation of freedom of expression.
Mr Farooq said that the amendments were moved in a hurry, adding that he was against him according to his party’s policy.
CCI meeting
The dispute over the government’s construction of canals on the Indus River in Punjab resonated again in the Senate.
Law Minister Nazir Tarar assured the House that the project had already been discussed by top leaders of PPP and PML -N.
These matters will be “happy” in the constitutional framework and water distribution formula under the 1991 agreement on the distribution of resources in the provinces.
He assured PPP lawmakers that no decision would be made in a hurry without listening to Sindh and its people.
Mr Tarar added that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif wants to take all the partners of the allies.
PPP Senator Zamir Hussain Ghozro said that neither the CCI meeting was being convened on the matter nor was it being asked about the relevant Senate Standing Committee.
Referring to widespread protests in the province, he said, “There is a fire in Sindh, because the system does not already have water, and there is another canal project on which we have serious reservations.”
Another PPP Senator, Shahidat Owen, said the matter was to be raised in the CCI and wondered when the constitutional forum would be found.
Law Minister Tarar replied that there are logistic issues as the CCI meeting needs the availability of four chief ministers and other members.
The minister said, CCI will meet at the appropriate time, but he refused to commit the history.
Mr Ghozar also criticized the government’s claim that the current water of the provinces would remain intact even if the canals were constructed.
He said that the political parties had opposed the Kalabag Dam on the basis that the part of the provinces would be affected.
He pointed out that Punjab’s planning and development department also opposed the project.
Another PPP Senator, Bilal Ahmed Mandokil, also warned that the matter was becoming another “Kalabag Dam”.
He claimed that the project would even deprive the farmers of water in Punjab.
Even if the water for corporate farming was removed from the Punjab section, it would mean the “economic killing” of the farmers of the province.
“Where would you bring this extra water?” He asked, and added that Punjab has extra water, it should be given to Sindh and Balochistan.
PPP Senator Pulosha Khan said that if the project was executed, both Sindh and Punjab would suffer.
Dawn, appeared on January 28, 2025
