Sharjeel urges Nawaz, Shehbaz to rein in PML-N ministers over canal row
Sindh's senior minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Tuesday called on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to restrain their ministers from issuing 'provocative statements,' warning that escalating tensions over disputed canal projects could destabilise interprovincial relations.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Karachi alongside senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders Nasir Hussain Shah and Aijaz Damrah, Sharjeel Memon expressed concern over what he described as irresponsible remarks by some PML-N ministers. 'If this approach continues, we may not be able to stop our own spokespersons from responding in kind,' the minister cautioned.
He reiterated PPP's firm and longstanding opposition to the construction of controversial canal projects, arguing they undermine Sindh's water rights.
Sharjeel Memon said the party holds documented evidence of Sindh's consistent opposition since the project's approval by federal water regulators during the caretaker government.
'We have official records proving that the Sindh chief minister objected at every stage,' he asserted.
According to Sharjeel, Sindh's representatives voiced dissent when the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) issued no-objection certificates during the caretaker setup, allowing the controversial projects to move ahead. 'Even back then, we made our position clear,' he said.
He revealed that Federal Minister Rana Sanaullah had contacted him twice in recent days, and that Shehbaz Sharif had expressed interest in finding a resolution.
'The prime minister is the leader of the whole country, not just one province. He should address these valid concerns and remove the reservations of the people,' the minister added.
While defending the right to peaceful protest, the minister urged demonstrators to avoid blocking roads and disrupting economic activities.
'Livestock trucks and export consignments are stuck. Protesting is a constitutional right, but public inconvenience must be avoided,' he said.
The minister also drew attention to the broader water-sharing issue, claiming that Sindh has not received its fair share of water under the 1991 Water Accord.
He demanded the federal government fulfil its legal and constitutional obligations to ensure equitable distribution.
Sharjeel criticised some PML-N ministers for adopting a confrontational tone, labelling them as 'non-political' elements creating unnecessary tensions.
'Sensible political leaders defuse situations — they don't inflame them,' he said.
He concluded by welcoming Sanaullah's recent outreach but warned that continued provocation would leave PPP with no choice but to respond through its own political channels.
The growing row comes amid wider tensions between the PPP-led Sindh government and the PML-N-dominated federal administration over resource-sharing, governance, and provincial rights.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Pakistan to dispatch 17th consignment of relief goods for Gaza, Palestine today
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is set to dispatch Pakistan's 17th consignment of relief goods for Gaza and other parts of Palestine on Sunday (today). On the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the NDMA has completed preparations to send its first consignment of 100 tonnes of relief goods to Palestine, the disaster management authority spokesperson said, adding that the relief package consists of food items and medicines. 'The first relief flight will depart from the Islamabad airport this evening. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik will be the chief guests at the departure ceremony of the relief goods,' the NDMA spokesperson said. The 100-tonne consignment will be transported via a special flight to Amman, Jordan. Germany says 'very insufficient' aid entering Gaza Whereas, the NDMA will send a total of 200 tonnes of relief goods to Palestine, through special flights tomorrow as well. So far, on the PM's directives, the NDMA has dispatched a total of 1,715 tonnes of aid to Palestine. Gaza starving A human tragedy is unfolding in western Gaza City across a landscape of hunger, with displaced people living crammed into crowded tents, according to a United Nations' report describing the horrendous situation resulting from the Israeli blockade of the shattered enclave. Earning a living has become a daily struggle, and hundreds of men, women and children stand in endless queues, under the scorching sun, outside the few community kitchens that serve nothing but lentil soup, the report from Gaza said. A community kitchen in western Gaza reveals a panorama of painful scenes amid displaced people suffering, their cries for help and their urgent appeals to the world, demanding an end to their tragedy and relief, it said, describing the scene. After a bitter struggle, Ziad Al-Ghariz, an elderly displaced person from Gaza, managed to obtain a cup of lentil soup. He sat on the floor and began to take slow sips. He told UN News, an international media website, that he had not tasted bread for 10 consecutive days. 'I eat the lentil soup distributed by the community kitchen,' he said. 'I cannot afford flour at all. I do not have the money for it, so I try to get whatever the kitchen distributes. The people of Gaza are hungry.' Young Mohammed Nayfeh spent four hours waiting for a meal for his family, the report said. Gaza death toll hits 60,000 as global monitor demands action to avert famine 'I've been standing here for four hours, and I can't get any food in the crowds and the sun,' he said. 'We're dying. We need support. We need food and drink. Where is the world? We're dying here of hunger. Every day we eat only lentils. There's no flour, no food, no drink. We're dying of hunger.' Umm Muhammad, a displaced person from the Shujaiya neighborhood, described the macabre scene around her. 'There is no water, no food, no bread,' she said. 'The bitterness of the situation forces us to come here. In the end, we return with nothing. We either return burned under the sun or trampled underfoot due to overcrowding, and we return empty-handed. And no one listens.'
Express Tribune
2 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Karachi's Malir gets new football stadium
Listen to article Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani on Sunday reiterated that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is not limited to rural constituencies but represents all major cities of Sindh. He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Malir Union Football Stadium. He said development schemes worth billions of rupees were being executed across Karachi and the province, and expressed hope they would be completed within the current financial year. Ghani also inaugurated two other projects, including a community centre built by TMC Malir. He said these facilities had been established for the convenience of residents and would run efficiently. Several similar schemes across Karachi districts were also expected to be completed soon, he added. Members of the Sindh Assembly Raja Razzaq and Saleem Baloch, Malir Town Chairman Jan Mohammad Baloch, Ibrahim Hyderi Town Chairman Nazir Bhutto, Imdad Jokhio, and other elected representatives, local PPP leaders and residents attended the ceremony. Highlighting PPP's historical presence in Malir, Ghani said the area had produced prominent party leaders and that PPP had always defended local interests. The party had won the highest number of seats in District Malir during elections, he noted. He called Shahrah-e-Bhutto one of the city's best development schemes, benefiting four districts simultaneously, with its final phase up to Kathore due for completion by December. Referring to the K-IV project, he said it was delayed due to flaws in the initial design, which lacked key pumping and power stations. He added that work was disrupted during Imran Khan's tenure over allegations of corruption based on cost escalation. Now, with the PML-N in power, work had resumed under WAPDA, with Rs 70 billion allocated for Karachi's internal water supply. He hoped the project would be completed on time. Ghani also announced that water supply from the Hub Canal would resume on 14 August and that Sindh had requested an increased quota from Hub Dam. Dismissing criticism that PPP only worked in its strongholds, he said the party had spent billions on infrastructure even in areas where it had not won a single councillor's seat. He called PPP the largest urban political force in Sindh, noting that it had won local government elections in Karachi, Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, and Larkana, with all Sindh mayors now from PPP. He said ongoing water and sewerage projects were progressing swiftly and would be completed in the coming months. On Independence Day preparations, Ghani said the nation was celebrating it as a 'Day of Victory'. He praised the armed forces and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for diplomatic efforts that countered Indian misinformation. He urged citizens to actively take part in Independence Day programmes. Replying to questions, he said work on the Quaidabad bridge would soon be completed, easing commuter movement. He reaffirmed PPP's commitment to Sindh's development and lauded both military achievements and Bilawal's diplomatic gains.
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Pakistan to dispatch17th consignment of relief goods for Gaza, Palestine today
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is set to dispatch Pakistan's 17th consignment of relief goods for Gaza and other parts of Palestine on Sunday (today). On the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the NDMA has completed preparations to send its first consignment of 100 tonnes of relief goods to Palestine, the disaster management authority spokesperson said, adding that the relief package consists of food items and medicines. 'The first relief flight will depart from the Islamabad airport this evening. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik will be the chief guests at the departure ceremony of the relief goods,' the NDMA spokesperson said. The 100-tonne consignment will be transported via a special flight to Amman, Jordan. Germany says 'very insufficient' aid entering Gaza Whereas, the NDMA will send a total of 200 tonnes of relief goods to Palestine, through special flights tomorrow as well. So far, on the PM's directives, the NDMA has dispatched a total of 1,715 tonnes of aid to Palestine. Gaza starving A human tragedy is unfolding in western Gaza City across a landscape of hunger, with displaced people living crammed into crowded tents, according to a United Nations' report describing the horrendous situation resulting from the Israeli blockade of the shattered enclave. Earning a living has become a daily struggle, and hundreds of men, women and children stand in endless queues, under the scorching sun, outside the few community kitchens that serve nothing but lentil soup, the report from Gaza said. A community kitchen in western Gaza reveals a panorama of painful scenes amid displaced people suffering, their cries for help and their urgent appeals to the world, demanding an end to their tragedy and relief, it said, describing the scene. After a bitter struggle, Ziad Al-Ghariz, an elderly displaced person from Gaza, managed to obtain a cup of lentil soup. He sat on the floor and began to take slow sips. He told UN News, an international media website, that he had not tasted bread for 10 consecutive days. 'I eat the lentil soup distributed by the community kitchen,' he said. 'I cannot afford flour at all. I do not have the money for it, so I try to get whatever the kitchen distributes. The people of Gaza are hungry.' Young Mohammed Nayfeh spent four hours waiting for a meal for his family, the report said. Gaza death toll hits 60,000 as global monitor demands action to avert famine 'I've been standing here for four hours, and I can't get any food in the crowds and the sun,' he said. 'We're dying. We need support. We need food and drink. Where is the world? We're dying here of hunger. Every day we eat only lentils. There's no flour, no food, no drink. We're dying of hunger.' Umm Muhammad, a displaced person from the Shujaiya neighborhood, described the macabre scene around her. 'There is no water, no food, no bread,' she said. 'The bitterness of the situation forces us to come here. In the end, we return with nothing. We either return burned under the sun or trampled underfoot due to overcrowding, and we return empty-handed. And no one listens.'
