Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has raised objections to the construction of Cholistan canals from the Indus River, citing concerns over water allocation. In a letter addressed to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, he described the approval of the project as unlawful. “The CDWP illegally approved the Cholistan canals project on October 11,” CM Shah stated, expressing his reservations.
The federal project, sourced from the Sulemanki Headworks, will channel 4122 cusecs of water through four canals—New Fatah Canal System, New Murad Canal System, New Hakra Canal System, and New Haroon Canal System—to irrigate 610,000 acres of land in Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar districts. The Government of Punjab obtained confirmation of water availability from the Indus River System Authority (IRSA). However, Sindh’s representative did not agree with this assessment.
Earlier this year, on February 7, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) had approved the national irrigation network plan under the condition that a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from IRSA and feedback from provinces would be obtained.
The Sindh government has since presented its concerns to the Council of Common Interest (CCI), emphasizing the need for an equitable resolution. CM Murad Ali Shah has also urged Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal to delay the project’s approval until the CCI addresses the matter.
