IRSA had earlier approved the water supply for the Cholistan Canal System project
\n Karachi
\nThe Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued a stay order halting the construction of canals following a challenge to the water availability certificate issued by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), Express News reported on Monday.
\nThe court was hearing a petition questioning the legality of the certificate, which is required for canal construction projects. The bench has sought a detailed response from the federal government by April 18.
\nThe IRSA had earlier approved the water supply for the Cholistan Canal System project, issuing a certificate that allowed the Punjab government to construct the canal, which branches from the Sutlej River at Sulemanki headworks.
\nHowever, this move has been contested by Sindh, which has termed it \u201cunfair.\u201d
\nMeanwhile, in a statement today, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro called the court\u2019s order a historic decision. He reiterated the provincial government\u2019s demand to appoint a proper Sindh representative to IRSA and cancel the canal projects.
\nThe canal issue has sparked strong political reactions in Sindh, where local leaders argue that the province\u2019s rights over water are being bypassed. Protests have erupted across Sindh in recent weeks as opposition to the federal government\u2019s proposed construction of new canals on the Indus River intensifies.
\nCivil society groups, farmers, and political activists have taken to the streets, warning that the controversial projects could deepen water scarcity in the lower riparian province.
\nThe demonstrations have been fuelled by fears that the planned canals\u2014including the Cholistan Canal\u2014would deprive Sindh of its fair share of water, in violation of the 1991 Water Accord. Responding to growing public pressure, the Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution in March rejecting the construction of six new canals on the Indus.
\nThe resolution termed the projects illegal and called on the federal government and the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) to immediately halt any related activities.
\nIt further demanded that all provinces, particularly Sindh, be consulted before any such developments, to ensure that their constitutional water rights are upheld.
\nReinforcing the province\u2019s stance, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari issued a strong rebuke to the federal government during a rally in Larkana. He warned the Centre to \u201cback off\u201d from the canal projects, calling them a threat to national unity and Sindh\u2019s livelihood.
\nBilawal reminded the crowd of his party\u2019s historical opposition to similar projects, including the Kalabagh Dam, and reiterated the PPP\u2019s commitment to water justice and inter-provincial harmony.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
IRSA had earlier approved the water supply for the Cholistan Canal System project Karachi The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued a stay order halting the construction of canals following a challenge to the water availability certificate issued by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), Express News reported on Monday. The court was hearing a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":419966,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-471121","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n