The federal government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), is preparing to present the proposed Cholistan Canal project, along with other canals under the Green Pakistan Initiative, to the Council of Common Interests (CCI). This move comes amidst rising tensions with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led Sindh government.
Musadik Malik, the Federal Minister for Petroleum Division and Water Resources, confirmed that a CCI meeting is being convened to address unresolved issues concerning the construction of several canals, including the Cholistan Canal. Sindh’s position is that the Cholistan Canal is part of the Green Pakistan Initiative and its approval hinges on CCI’s consent, which has not been granted yet.
In February 2024, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) conditionally approved a plan titled “Development of National Irrigation Network for Green Pakistan Initiative.” However, to address concerns raised by the provinces, the approval was made contingent on CCI’s decision. This initiative includes the construction of various canals, such as the Cholistan Canal, Greater Thal Canal, Kachhi Canal, Rainee Canal, Thar Canal, and Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC).
The Ministry of Planning, however, has requested the Cabinet Division to amend the minutes of the ECNEC meeting concerning the Cholistan Canal. The Ministry argues that the decision only pertained to the Greater Thal Canal, and the Cholistan Canal was mistakenly included in the minutes. The Ministry is now asking the Cabinet Division to correct this record.
Sindh is adamant that the Cholistan Canal must be reviewed by the CCI, as per the ECNEC’s decision. The proposed correction to the meeting minutes would allow the project to bypass the CCI’s review, further complicating the situation.
The controversy over the Cholistan Canal intensified after the federal government removed the project from the agenda of the ECNEC meeting, following strong opposition from Sindh. The Sindh government insisted that the construction of the canal must be tied to CCI’s approval.
Sindh has serious concerns regarding the issuance of a water availability certificate for the project. The province argues that the flood flows may not be sufficient to operate the canal. From 2019 to 2023, water shortages were reported at 13.7% for Punjab and 19.4% for Sindh. Sindh believes that such shortages make the construction of new canals unfeasible. Additionally, the province argues that building the Cholistan Canal would worsen the already critical situation in the Indus delta, where environmental water flows of 8.6 million acre-feet (MAF) have not been guaranteed. Sindh also points out that the increasing number of “no-flow” days and the intrusion of seawater into the coastal region are exacerbating the issue.
Despite these objections, the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved the construction of the Cholistan Canal and its Phase I system, with an estimated cost of Rs225.340 billion. During the CDWP meeting, Sindh’s representative called for a delay in approval until the CCI made a final decision on the project, citing concerns over the potential negative impact on lower riparian areas in Sindh. -ERMD
