The PML-N's political landscape is marked by short-sightedness. Its various leaders either view political uprisings through a narrow-minded lens or a political prism, subsequently belittling or magnifying their scope.
On the heels of President Asif Ali Zardari's parliamentary speech, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal downplayed the ongoing anti-canal mass movement, calling it propaganda propelled by nationalists and politicians who were defeated.
"Certain politicians, doing fringe politics, are fanning the flames of controversy... it is not that someone is eyeing Sindh's water or usurping it," Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said while speaking on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath. "I believe those politicians, who are nationalists and have faced defeat in elections, are making attempts to rejuvenate their political life by carrying out propaganda on sensitive issues," he added.
First and foremost, the ongoing anti-canal movement is an across-the-board movement, transcending political parties and civil society, swelling beyond the imagination of ignorant and indifferent figures like Ahsan Iqbal.
There is political diversity that lubricates the engine of the movement, calling for a halt to the controversial corporate agricultural farming based on disputed canals. Political and religious parties like the GDA and Jamaat-e-Islami, bar associations, campus students, and civil society organisations have staged long marches, rallies, and demonstrations across Sindh against the contentious plan.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PTI bigwigs, and MQM Haqiqi, among others, are on record as having put their political weight behind those protesting against corporate agricultural farming enterprises. Recently, PPP MNA Khursheed Junejo spoke on the floor of the assembly and not only debunked the claims of water availability but also presented facts and figures regarding water shortages. It is the shortage of water, droughts, and the alleged redirection of Sindh's share of water that has brought all political forces under one umbrella to raise their voices vociferously against the Cholistan Canal.
The anger against the controversial project has even reached schools, with children organising rallies and teachers highlighting the devastating consequences of canals being built on the Indus River – the lifeline of Sindh – and subsequently educating young minds about the looming strangulation of the river that sustains the province's population. This is Sindh's collective consciousness, and dismissing this awakening as mere propaganda is nothing but political callousness. As a result, the Minister remains blind to the realities and cautionary tales shared by experts.
It suffices to take some excerpts from a recent write-up by Hassan Abbas, an expert on hydrology and water resources, who highlighted the tip of the iceberg regarding the implementation of the Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI). "Corporate farming in Cholistan, as part of the military-based Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI), is a scheme that has the potential to revolutionise Pakistan's agricultural landscape. However, its success hinges on intelligent implementation within socioeconomic and scientific boundaries. If mismanaged, not only will the initiative fail, but it will also damage the credibility of its architects, who conceived it as a win-win strategy for all Pakistan."
Unfortunately, the initiative is already losing credibility due to the controversial Cholistan Canal, which the lower riparian federating units fear will impact their water share under the Water Apportionment Accord of 1991. Canals are sensitive to topography and cannot survive in the aeolian desert conditions. India's Rajasthan Canal serves as a cautionary tale, where thousands of kilometers of concrete-lined canals have been buried under the sand, rendering billions of dollars of investment useless. If Pakistan blindly follows this model, the GPI will suffer a similar fate. Existing canal-based farming communities are already facing water shortages. They fear further diversions for corporate farming will exacerbate their crisis, leading to social unrest. Given these significant challenges, diverting water from the Sutlej via canals will not serve the GPI's goals. Unfortunately, it is apparent that certain vested interests are pushing for canal construction while disregarding the potential scientific, social, and environmental consequences, which can endanger the project's success.
To ensure inclusivity and a win-win outcome for all citizens, decision-makers must proceed with caution. Let it not be said that 'Green Pakistan' was hijacked by 'Greed Pakistan.'
Even the Pakistan Peoples Party faces a tough political test in Sindh, its only stronghold. People have questioned its stance on state-sponsored corporate agricultural farming and the subsequent Cholistan Canal
Having kicked off the second parliamentary year, President Asif Ali Zardari cautioned the House and the government, declaring that some of its unilateral policies are causing 'grave strain' on the federation. The President highlighted the newly conceived Cholistan Canal System approved by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) last month despite opposition from Sindh. He denounced the government's unilateral decision to carve out more canals from the Indus River System, despite strong opposition from federating units. "A proposal that I, as your President, cannot support," said Zardari, urging the government to abandon the current proposal and work together with all stakeholders to come up with viable, sustainable solutions based on unanimous consensus among the federating units.
What the minister has failed to understand so far is that the paradise of the Indus delta is vanishing as water is not allowed downstream of Kotri, following the myth that water is being wasted when allowed to flow into the sea. As a result, the sea continues to erode agricultural farming land – not to mention that it has already eroded hundreds of thousands of acres in Southern Sindh. Coastal areas are experiencing the worst consequences, with diminishing cultivable land prompting displacement from the coast belt, such as Badin and Thatta. Rising sea levels, caused by climate change, are endangering Karachi. It would be appropriate for Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal to visit coastal areas and see for himself the bigger picture of the dying delta and the subsequent catastrophe there. Visiting northern districts of Sindh would also reveal to him the reality of water shortages for standing wheat crops.
Remember the water shortage alert issued after water reached dead levels in Tarbela and Mangla dams. Intellectuals in Punjab have also expressed their reservations, which align with the concerns conveyed by all and sundry in Sindh.
Even the Pakistan Peoples Party faces a tough political test in Sindh, its only stronghold. People have questioned its stance on state-sponsored corporate agricultural farming and the subsequent Cholistan Canal. Many have placed the blame at the door of the PPP for tacitly giving the nod for the canals in question. The PPP has been trying to convince the public that it has challenged the project in the CCI, which has been pending for eleven months. However, its reaction strategy is being taken with a grain of salt, hence it faces public fury.
A recent survey published in a local Sindhi newspaper asked about the PPP's political strategy given the PML-N federal government's indifference to Sindh's objections. The respondents suggested that the PPP should pass a resolution in the assemblies. If the passed resolution falls on deaf ears, the PPP should come out of the coalition and join the protesting public. This speaks volumes about the people in Sindh being disillusioned with the current federal government.
The PPP is a main ally of the federal government, and it has time and again accused the Punjab and federal governments of not taking its coalition partner into confidence in the decision-making process. The PPP leadership has repeatedly declared that the present government's unilateralism is causing strain on the federating units. This is why the PPP is under tremendous pressure from its voters and civil society to revisit supporting such an indifferent setup.
The Shahbaz Sharif-led government is walking on thin ice. The divide-and-rule approach has unleashed polarisation in the country. The cobbled-together setup is already fragile. It has to be noted that the PML-N lacks parliamentary support to fly and survive without the support of its main ally.
The genuine grievances of Sindh cannot be neglected, as the province is not only the food and breadbasket of the nation but also home to its capital, Karachi, which boasts of being a dominant commercial hub in the country. The gravity of the situation on the ground can be measured from the hurriedly hosted iftar dinner by PM Shahbaz Sharif on the heels of the President's speech in the joint parliament on 10 March, for PPP members led by Bilawal Bhutto, reportedly just to discuss disputed canals.
The people of Sindh are so agitated that even the President's speech against carving out more canals from the Indus River is hailed as the beginning of the end. Social media posts are abuzz with various people saying that the anti-canal struggle should not end until the contentious plan is officially announced to be rolled back.
Remember Shaheed Benazir Bhutto participating in the anti-Kalabagh Dam Movement in 1997. PPP leaders like Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and Mir Nadir Ali Magsi are on record as saying they will go to any extent against this controversial scheme. Nisar Khuhro welcomed President Zardari's objection to the controversial canal project, stating it aligns with PPP's policy. He urged the federal government to withdraw from the project, threatening a movement if they don't. Khuhro emphasised that the presidency doesn't have the authority to approve development projects, citing the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), National Economic Council (NEC), and Council of Common Interests (CCI) as the proper forums.
Naseer Memon has publicly commented that the water availability figures are overrated. Important questions arise: Why is the CCI meeting not being convened? What is the federal government afraid of? Why was the nod for the plan taken from the then-interim governments?
A video of NA proceedings went viral, showing MNA Syed Tariq Hussain asking two important questions: First, did the interim government or the elected government give the green light for corporate agricultural farming in Sindh and Punjab? Second, what was the available quantity of water in the system last year, and how was it distributed among the provinces? Having asked these questions, Syed Tariq Hussain made it clear that, as per the briefing, corporate farming is a promising project, but the pressing concern is the availability of water, as we have no mechanism to increase the quantity of water. The chair asked Musadiq Malik to answer the questions. Unsurprisingly, he, instead of giving direct answers to the questions asked, started highlighting the key component of productive farming, called an efficient irrigation system, to be applied for the scheme. Syed Tariq Hussain interrupted, asking the minister to come clean on the questions placed before him, adding further that if the water quantity available last year was not proportionate to the mandated water availability for the provinces, then where would the water come from for the cited corporate farming of 48 lakh acres? Speaker Ayaz Sadiq reminded the federal minister to answer whether the nod was given by the elected government or the interim government. In response, he said the elected government can now rescind the land given for corporate farming.
Miscalculating the smouldering fire sparked by the controversial plan will not only prove detrimental to the government but also to federal unity. Ensuring transparency and credibility is paramount in every context.
The gathering storm against disputed canals is a grassroots movement that should not be downplayed in the interest of national unity. The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture has demanded the federal government cancel the six canal projects, including the Cholistan Canal and Green Pakistan Initiative, which threaten the federation's unity. It also urged the Sindh government to pass a resolution against these canals and stand with the voice of the people of Sindh. Chamber President Syed Zainul Abideen Shah stated that the Indus River is vital to Sindh's history, civilisation, and livelihood, and the projects pose an existential threat due to insufficient water reservoirs. Farmers, peasants, and people from all walks of life are protesting daily against these projects.
Cool-headedness is needed when there is disharmony between the federation and a federal unit. The system cannot afford to neglect the grievances that call for urgent attention.
According to Pythagoras, "The soul of man is divided into three parts, intelligence, reason, and passion. Intelligence and passion are possessed by other animals, but reason by man alone."
Rationality is needed to separate wheat from chaff.