Tarar says govt is open to dialogue, no decision will be made without proper consultation
Pakistan People’s Party senators staged a protest during a Senate session on Tuesday against the controversial canal project, accusing the federal government of water theft and calling for urgent debate on the issue.
The session, chaired by Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani, began with opposition members expressing frustration over not being given time to raise points of order.
Tensions escalated when PPP senators stood from their seats, chanting slogans such as “Water thieves not acceptable” and “Stop stealing Sindh’s water.”
Senator Saifullah Abro highlighted the ongoing protests in Sindh, where people have been demonstrating for over a week. He stressed that multiple parties had submitted resolutions in the Senate against the canal project and demanded a chance to speak.
Chairman Gillani responded by requesting Senator Abro to speak after the question hour. However, Abro staged a sit-in in front of the chairman’s dais.
Gillani suggested that the matter be brought to the floor for debate through coordination with Senator Sherry Rehman. The PPP senators, dissatisfied with the response, staged a walkout from the session.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar reassured the House that the government was open to dialogue and that no decision would be forced through without proper consultation. He confirmed that cabinet members were present to answer questions.
He said that Political Adviser Rana Sanaullah had formally contacted the Sindh government and PPP leadership to assure them that the federal government was committed to resolving the issue through constitutional means. “The decision is clear, nothing will be forced,” he added.
Tarar urged PPP lawmakers to take part in the parliamentary proceedings, pointing out that they too had submitted a resolution and a call-to-attention notice regarding the issue. “Let’s sit together and address the matter through proper parliamentary channels,” he said.
The minister stressed that the government was ready to answer questions and hold dialogue and had no intention of bypassing the Constitution or ignoring its allies.
He criticised the opposition, accusing it of being disruptive and avoiding meaningful discussion. “Maybe they have no questions to raise, or they lack the courage to listen. But if they want to participate in a productive debate, I and senior cabinet members are here to answer,” he said.
Tarar further said that the issue had already been discussed with coalition partners on the prime minister’s special instructions. He added that a broader multi-party consultation was also being considered to ensure a comprehensive and inclusive solution.
Amid the protest, Chairman Gillani noted a quorum call, but initially confirmed that the House had the required number of members. However, a subsequent count revealed that the quorum was incomplete, prompting the ringing of bells in the Senate galleries.
The protest intensified with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf senators raising loud slogans. Senator Humayun Mohmand criticised the government, stating that it was shameful for treasury members to raise quorum objections. Senator Falak Naz Chitrali chanted, “PPP drowned in shame.”
At one point, only one senator from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N, Nasir Butt, remained seated in the chamber.
The opposition also raised slogans against the PPP’s alleged “hypocrisy” regarding its stance on the canal project.
“The entire coastal belt is about to go barren,” PPP Vice-President Sherry Rehman said while speaking to the media in Islamabad.
“The canals do not have water,” she said, questioning whether anyone cared about what was happening in the delta.
She said that the PPP would respond appropriately if the party was cornered.
“If you want to resolve this, then announce that the construction has been stopped, which was started without your approval,” she said. “We walked out of the Senate because no one was listening to this.”
“We only engage in such politics when we are backed up against a wall.”
Leader of the Opposition Shibli Faraz also criticised the government, pointing out that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had been deprived of its Senate representation for a year. He condemned the failure to fill the vacant seat left by Sania Nishtar and claimed that certain parties had blocked the election process.
Chairman Gillani responded that the Election Commission had been duly informed of the vacant seat. However, as the quorum remained incomplete with only 19 members present, the chairman adjourned the session until Friday at 10:30 am.
