"If a New Canal is Built on the Indus River, We Absolutely Do Not Approve," Nasir Hussain Shah

ARY NEWS

Transcript

00:00Naseer Hussain Shah, thank you very much for your time.

00:03We were trying to summarize Sadr's speech.

00:10He talked a lot about political stability.

00:13He talked about how the government has done some economic improvements.

00:17He talked about share of interest.

00:21He talked about his reserves.

00:23But he also showed some reservations.

00:26He talked about the situation in Cholistan.

00:30We were listening to what he had to say.

00:34We were getting reservations from you as well.

00:36But today, Sadr has also raised this issue.

00:40If you want to elaborate on this issue,

00:44was there no on-board support from the government?

00:48In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

00:52Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ala Muhammad.

00:56Today, President Asim Ali Sardari has made history.

01:01He was the 7th elected president in a joint session.

01:11Today, he talked about the hope of hatred.

01:20And he talked about the agreement on sharing.

01:25If you look at his speech today.

01:28And if you have a question about the canals,

01:33it is also in this that we all have to come to one page.

01:38And if there are reservations of a province,

01:41and there are valid reservations,

01:44then they should definitely be concerned.

01:47The issue is that this is a very serious issue.

01:51And the situation of water is in front of all of us.

01:56Water is very important.

01:58All over the world, and especially in countries like ours.

02:02And then the current global conditions,

02:07the environment, climate change,

02:10Pakistan is suffering the most.

02:13I will just say that,

02:15as soon as the dam came,

02:20they called it Kalabagh Shosha,

02:24or made it Mutanaza.

02:26And then there was no talk of other dams.

02:29And then there was a global delay.

02:32And that Shosha was highlighted.

02:36It was said that those who are saying no to it,

02:40are against big countries.

02:43But no one said no to the other dams.

02:46Why did they say no to Mutanaza?

02:49Who are they to delay them?

02:52Are they our own people of Pakistan?

02:54I mean, there are a lot of issues.

02:56What is the issue now?

02:59The Bhadshah scheme was supposed to start in your time.

03:02If I am not mistaken.

03:04But then there was a delay.

03:06Yes, yes.

03:08But suddenly,

03:10Kalabagh was highlighted for a few years.

03:13And at that time,

03:15there was money for the dam case.

03:20But then everyone started scoring points.

03:24And nowadays it is surprising.

03:27Even in Sindh,

03:29there are a lot of political parties

03:31who are scoring points.

03:33At that time, it was us of Kalabagh.

03:35So there are a lot of issues.

03:37What is the issue?

03:38The issue is that there is less water.

03:39There is less water.

03:40There is less water.

03:41I will only say one thing.

03:43That if a new canal is built on the river Sindh,

03:47we do not accept it at all.

03:49We do not accept it.

03:50Already, water does not reach us.

03:53Our lakhs of acres of land has come to the sea.

03:57The reason for this is that

03:59the IMF wants 10 to 14 acres.

04:04The water that goes there,

04:06cannot go there.

04:08And there is an acute shortage.

04:10After every 10 to 8 years,

04:12water comes.

04:14But the situation every year is very worrisome.

04:17And then one more important thing,

04:19I will request everyone.

04:21All of us are Pakistanis.

04:23For us, Pakistan is the most important.

04:26What is the situation today?

04:28Today, is all the land of Punjab,

04:31which was fertile land,

04:32water reaching there?

04:34You take the report there.

04:36What is happening there?

04:37Now, if it is said that

04:39they are making something from their share,

04:43then their first share is enough for the whole of Punjab.

04:49All the land there has become fertile.

04:52Those who were fertile, are getting water.

04:55Let me tell you,

04:56our objection is valid.

04:58We will have water.

04:59But the PND department,

05:02they also objected to this canal.

05:05That these are the fertile areas of Punjab,

05:09they will have to be destroyed

05:12if something like this happens.

05:14By the way, Mr. Afnaan,

05:16managing the irrigation is their responsibility.

05:20One, they raised the question that

05:22there is their fertile land,

05:23it is difficult to reach water there.

05:25Secondly, we often talk about the modern ways of irrigation.

05:28There is a lot of work going on all over the world.

05:30For us, it is the same

05:31that you can do anything through surface irrigation.

05:33But all over the world,

05:34there is a lot going on

05:35that there is a drip irrigation system,

05:36there is a sprinkler system in place.

05:38It has its pros and cons of both systems.

05:40But if there is a water scarcity of water,

05:42it can be managed.

05:43So, we have never thought of working on this.

05:45There are a lot of serious concerns on this.

05:47See, the Punjab government gives a lot of concessions on this.

05:52If you want to install drip irrigation,

05:5470% will be given by the government

05:55and 30% will be paid by you.

05:56Similarly, they have schemes on solar too.

05:59Similarly, if you want to build a small dam on someone's land,

06:03there is a separate scheme for that

06:05which the government of Punjab is offering.

06:07There are also issues with solar in its place.

06:08There are issues with solar,

06:09but if you connect solar with active well,

06:11you will get water.

06:12If your water comes down to the ground,

06:13you will get water.

06:14But due to the bill,

06:15they were worried and still stopped the water supply.

06:17Now, due to solar,

06:18there is no control over it.

06:19As much as possible.

06:20Now, of course, it is because of solar.

06:22See, there is always a cause.

06:23Yes, but if the water reservoir is good,

06:26then you can use it.

06:27The thing is,

06:28if we use modern techniques like drip irrigation,

06:31the requirement of water will be the same.

06:34According to that.

06:35Instead of wasting water.

06:37I think,

06:38as a nation,

06:40we should focus on this.

06:43All political parties,

06:45all major stakeholders,

06:47that we take out money and complete Basha Dam.

06:50Before the problem gets worse.

06:52And I am telling you,

06:53the problem will get worse.

06:54It is happening, it is visible.

06:55Because according to the February 2029 agreement,

06:57it is the completion date.

06:58And its cost,

06:59from 480 billion.

07:01The disease of Jujo medicine has increased.

07:03From 480 billion,

07:041.4 trillion has gone.

07:05Okay.

07:06From 480 billion,

07:07120 billion has already been released by this government

07:10and the previous government of PDM.

07:12So work is being done on it.

07:14This is not a stopgap.

07:15But,

07:16if we do this,

07:17no matter how,

07:18we should collect resources for it

07:20and complete it.

07:22So that Pakistan does not have a major water scarcity problem.

07:26Because this is the solution to the problem.

07:29As far as water is concerned,

07:31the thing is,

07:32Irsa has a metering system.

07:35With which they measure how much water is coming and going.

07:38Okay.

07:39So if Sindh's water is going back and forth,

07:41then it is obvious that

07:42under the metering system,

07:43it will be known

07:44that you did not give them

07:45as much water as Sindh had.

07:46But,

07:47there has to be a discussion about it.

07:48No,

07:49see,

07:50Irsa,

07:51the relevant institution is Irsa.

07:53Okay.

07:54And in it,

07:55there is a representative of all provinces.

07:56Okay.

07:57There is Sindhi,

07:58and others,

07:59and there is a rotating presidency.

08:00And at the moment,

08:01I think,

08:02it is with Balochistan.

08:03So that is a relevant platform.

08:04Okay.

08:05So,

08:06I am sure,

08:07there will be some discussion

08:08about it.

08:09Yes.

08:10Okay.

08:11With Balochistan.

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