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