Analysis: New Canal Projects Aimed at Irrigating Barren Lands and Boosting Export Production
Islamabad:Analyst Shahbaz Rana has stated that the purpose behind the construction of new canals is to irrigate barren lands under the Green Pakistan initiative by the Government of Pakistan and the Saudi Investment Fund Corporation (SIFC). The goal is to develop joint agricultural projects on these lands with Pakistani or foreign companies and to export the produce generated from these lands.
Speaking on *Express News* program “The Review,” Rana mentioned that all political parties in Sindh have rejected the plan to build six new canals in Punjab.
Political analyst Kamran Yousaf added that in 1991, a historic agreement was made concerning water distribution, particularly regarding the division of the waters of the Indus River, and this agreement remains intact to this day.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Nisar Khoro stated, “How can we afford the construction of new canals that would take water from the Indus River, further depleting our water resources? We already face water shortages, and countless lands remain uncultivated due to lack of sufficient water. We don’t get enough water from the river for the area below Kotri, and we are unable to push back the sea.”
GDA leader Safdar Abbasi remarked that the All Parties Conference (APC) excluded the GDA and PTI. He expressed that their primary objection was that due to PPP’s participation, a double standard had been created, as PPP’s policies at the federal level were different from those in Sindh. “We believe that our rights to water from the Indus are legitimate, especially due to the tail-end of the distribution.”
PTI leader Masroor Sial highlighted that the Sindhu River is not a “dry river” but a historic and vital lifeline for Sindh. “80% of Sindh’s needs depend on this river, which is integral to our region’s survival. The ongoing dispute over the river between the federal government and Punjab is not new. According to data released by IRSA, Sindh has been receiving 15% to 23% less water.”
The debate around the new canal projects continues to highlight the delicate balance of water distribution in Pakistan, with growing concerns over water scarcity, agricultural needs, and the impact on Sindh’s water rights.