Canal Dispute Escalates: What is the Solution? Reactions from PML-N and PPP Leaders

ARY NEWS

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00:00Tell me Mr. Rana, what is the solution for this issue?

00:05Because obviously, what can be done in a timely manner?

00:08Can't you halt this process for now?

00:12Because there are protests going on, there are tensions,

00:15so can't you stop it in a timely manner?

00:17Then you can have deliberations, you can have discussions,

00:19there are stakeholders, there are local communities,

00:22you can talk to the farmers or the agricultural experts,

00:27you can take their advice.

00:28The point is that there should be a discussion on optimal utilisation of water.

00:35How can you optimise the water?

00:39How can you get the maximum output from it?

00:43And then our framework of 1991 decides how to share.

00:50If the mechanism of sharing is disturbed, then we are not with it.

00:55But it is not like that.

00:56The claim is that the share of Sindh is not being killed,

01:01or the share of any province is not being reduced.

01:05And when it is said that Punjab is taking a share of Sindh,

01:09now there are new mechanisms that measure the flow of water.

01:16So if the overall water is reduced,

01:18then the share of Punjab is also reduced,

01:20and according to the same formula, the share of Sindh is also reduced.

01:23The question is about the capacity of IRSA.

01:27Does the institution have the capacity?

01:29The reservations that Mr. Nasir Hussain Shah is raising,

01:32and if so many people are talking,

01:35they are saying that you should consult the people.

01:37The environmental scientists, the experts, the local communities,

01:41the stakeholders, there is nothing wrong with that.

01:45I don't reject this.

01:46The concerns of the people should be technically removed,

01:50and we should reduce the politics.

01:53You were asking Mr. Waleed, who are you with?

01:56See, a lot of people start doing politics here,

02:00that if they get a chance, they should also get involved.

02:03The discussion should be technical, on merit.

02:05But he had a very valid point.

02:07He said that under the 1991 accord,

02:11no new project without meaningful consultation or deliberation can happen.

02:17But deliberation took place in IRSA, and IRSA gave it NOC.

02:21And these canals are passing through Sindh.

02:23The Sindh government can also stop these canals.

02:29Whatever allotment has been done for the land,

02:31they can also cancel it.

02:32So there are many ways to stop it.

02:35But Mr. Waleed said that they should not disturb this formula.

02:40So what is the claim?

02:41The claim is that the formula is not being disturbed.

02:43A part of a province is not being killed,

02:45but this water will be diverted from Chenab and Jhelum,

02:50So Chenab is a tributary of Indus?

02:54No, but in the power sharing formula,

02:56Chenab and Jhelum are not being formulated in Indus.

03:02You can utilize it.

03:03But what happens?

03:04You can divert it.

03:06In those days, when it was raining,

03:08you diverted the water.

03:10What will you do when it rains?

03:12In 4 months, the flood water level will increase.

03:18You have to divert it.

03:19And in 2 months, Punjab will divert its share.

03:22So this is how this water will be diverted.

03:25But I would also say that

03:27there should be a discussion in the CCI meeting.

03:30Who will call for the CCI meeting?

03:32Why is the Minister not calling for it?

03:33I think it will be called soon.

03:35And apart from that,

03:36the genuine concerns should be satisfied by the people.

03:42That's what I'm saying.

03:43The government neither rejects it nor discounts it.

03:48Secondly, do you have an advanced telemetry system

03:52that can accurately measure the water level?

03:55IRSA adopts a telemetry system

03:58and the water sharing mechanism is carried forward.

04:04But is it measuring that if we talk about Tarbela,

04:07the mountains built due to silting,

04:10if I'm not mistaken,

04:13you guys can correct me if I'm wrong,

04:15how much of that is left?

04:16Is it 5 million or 4 million?

04:17You are right.

04:18All the dams that exist,

04:20they have silting in them

04:22and their capacity is slowly decreasing.

04:24But we have Dassu,

04:27we have Daimir Bhasha,

04:28so Pakistan is increasing its reservoir capacity.

04:31And it's not like...

04:32And they also have desilting.

04:34But the 2008 project was supposed to be completed in 2014.

04:37Now it's being delayed to 2028.

04:40But this is all a debate,

04:41who has what share and when.

04:43But the work is being done quickly.

04:44I got your point.

04:47I'm sorry, Mr. Nasir,

04:49that I have asked a lot of questions on this matter.

04:52But you want to add something to that?

04:54Because I wanted us to find a solution to what can be done.

04:58So would you like to add something to this?

05:01Yes, of course.

05:02This is a very technical issue.

05:05And with facts and figures,

05:08and Irsa's own statistics,

05:11if they are taken for 25 years,

05:13they have quoted 40-45 years.

05:15Because of which...

05:17But if...

05:18Mr. Nasir, I am saying that

05:19if they are saying that

05:21with this water sharing,

05:23if Punjab is giving water from its share,

05:25if they are saying that

05:27if it rains more,

05:29the level of the rivers increases,

05:31then we will take water from it in the rainy season.

05:33So do you agree with that?

05:35Mr. Nasir, is this right?

05:37Is this correct?

05:38No, no.

05:39Look, I would like to say,

05:41with all due respect,

05:43that these are completely

05:45technical,

05:47wrong things that are being said.

05:49Technically,

05:51we have all the facts and figures

05:53that this is not at all appropriate.

05:56The canal that is being built.

05:58And then, look,

06:00the P&D department of Wafaaq,

06:04they themselves have said

06:06that this is not water

06:08and you,

06:10to occupy a barren,

06:12unoccupied land,

06:14why are you occupying

06:16the fertile lands of Punjab?

06:18I can give you the facts,

06:20the proof,

06:22that they gave these reservations

06:24when this came to light.

06:26But it cannot be that

06:28your objection is based on

06:30the fact that the lands of Punjab

06:32or the delta?

06:34Look, I am telling you,

06:36that the water is so less

06:38that Sindh will definitely travel,

06:40God willing, this canal will be built.

06:42Punjab will also do it.

06:44And then, you see,

06:46the condition of the two provinces,

06:48Balochistan and KP,

06:50the peaceful provinces,

06:52Sindh and Punjab,

06:54why are they trying to spread

06:56the spread there?

06:58And then, I am very hopeful

07:00that Prime Minister

07:02or the head of SIFC

07:04will also feel this,

07:06that this project

07:08should end now.

07:10But Mr. Nasir,

07:12if this is being tried,

07:14then who is doing it?

07:16And is this a spiritual or non-spiritual effort?

07:18There are many other projects.

07:20What are you saying?

07:22I am saying that you said

07:24that this is being tried to spread

07:26so is this a spiritual or non-spiritual effort?

07:29You should not be obstinate in any way.

07:31This is a technical debate,

07:33it should be solved technically.

07:35This is what I am saying,

07:37technically,

07:39this issue was raised

07:41because of Irsa's wrong statement.

07:43If they had not given such a wrong statement,

07:45then obviously,

07:47the SIFC or GPI

07:49would not have raised this project.

07:51And see,

07:53the other projects are very good,

07:55they are happening in Sindh also.

07:57My brother was saying

07:59that they should not take water

08:01in Sindh.

08:03See, we are not in a position

08:05to make any river.

08:07But the SIFC projects

08:09here,

08:11for Zerkhe Zamino

08:13and many others,

08:15we are fully supporting them.

08:17There are many other methods for them.

08:19It is not necessary that

08:21these canals should be removed.

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