A fiery war of words erupted Thursday between Punjab and Sindh ministers over the government’s canal project, just a day after PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari slammed it as “unilateral” at a Garhi Khuda Bakhsh rally.
The $3.3 billion Green Pakistan Initiative, launched on February 15 by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Army Chief General Asim Munir, aims to irrigate 1.2 million acres in the Cholistan desert of southern Punjab. However, it has triggered strong opposition, initially from Sindhi nationalists and now from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), intensifying provincial tensions.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari responded sharply in Lahore, criticizing Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s stance as unhelpful. She said, “If he can meet regarding budgets, he should also work on this issue.” Bokhari claimed President Asif Ali Zardari approved the project, adding, “It’s signed and documented; the PPP is just engaging in politics.”
Read: Bilawal Rejects Govt’s Canal Project, Warns of Harm to Farmers
In Karachi, Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon fiercely countered, questioning, “Does Bokhari even understand the Constitution? The president cannot approve this; it’s not within his authority.” He accused the federal government of mishandling the process and challenged Punjab to provide evidence of their claims, including meeting minutes.
The clash follows Sindh’s March resolution, unanimously rejecting six new Indus River canals and demanding a halt until all provinces agree. Five canals will tap the Indus, with a sixth on the Sutlej, channelling 4,120 cusecs to Punjab. PPP rallies this week amplified the protest, with Bilawal vowing to stand with Sindh’s people—not the Shehbaz government. The rift underscores a deeper water rights battle, pitting Punjab’s irrigation ambitions against Sindh’s fears of resource loss as both sides dig in.
