Govt proposes multiparty consultation on new canals

• PTI, PPP present competing resolutions during fiery Senate session • PPP reiterates demands for immediate CCI meeting to address water crisis • Sherry says diverting water unilaterally is injustice, not cooperative federalism • Shibli Faraz criticises PPP’s ‘contradictory’ stance, terms parliament ‘rubber stamp’

ISLAMABAD: A fiery Senate session on Tuesday saw heated exchanges and walkouts amid tensions between the PTI and PPP over competing resolutions on the controversial Cholistan canal project, with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar informing the upper house that the government was considering a multi-party consultation to address the issue.

Responding to objections from both the PTI and PPP, Mr Tarar assured that the concerns surrounding the diversion of water for the Cholistan canal scheme would be resolved constitutionally and in consultation with the Sindh government.

He insisted that the PML-N-led federal government had already taken up the issue with allied parties — particularly with the PPP and the Sindh government.

He added that on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s direction, senior cabinet member and adviser Rana Sanaullah had engaged the Sindh government to resolve the matter amicably,...
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