Opposition Leader in National Assembly and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Omar Ayub has accused the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of ‘deceiving’ the people on the issue of canals on Indus River. Speaking to a private TV channel, Omar Ayub claimed the PPP submitted a resolution against the canals on Indus River only after the PTI did so.

“The PTI submitted its resolution on March 12, 2025,” he said while contradicting the Speaker Ayaz Sadiq’s statement that the Imran Khan-led party submitted the same a day earlier. 

Omar Ayub said that the resolution was submitted again on Thursday but was not allowed on floor of the house. He demanded that the PTI’s resolution should be tabled and discussed in the National Assembly.The Green Pakistan Initiative aims to develop six canals to irrigate barren lands, primarily in Punjab.

However, the project has faced strong opposition from Sindh, which fears adverse impacts on its water share and ecological balance. The Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the project in March, demanding a halt to construction until all provinces reach a consensus.

PTI’s resolution calls for an independent audit of the Indus River System Authority’s (Irsa) water availability certification and insists on enforcing the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord to protect Sindh’s allocated share of 48.76 million acre-feet.Public hearings and transparent consultations with stakeholders are also demanded to ensure fair decision-making.

The resolution has intensified political debates, with the Sindh and Punjab governments clashing over the project’s implications. The outcome of this resolution could significantly influence inter-provincial relations and the future of water resource management in Pakistan.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)