The ongoing controversy around the canal project has ignited widespread protests in Sindh, where many fear it will turn the province into a desert. The PPP initially denied the project’s existence but, under mounting pressure, joined the protests themselves—highlighting a troubling political double standard.

Yes, climate change has intensified pressure on our limited water resources. Efficient and fair water use is crucial. Punjab claims that floodwater often goes to waste and could be stored for use during dry spells. In contrast, Sindh argues that at least 10 million acre-feet are needed to prevent sea intrusion, and that high floods occur too infrequently to justify such infrastructure.

What’s missing from this debate is public consultation. Time and again—whether it’s the Kalabagh Dam or the RBOD and LBOD projects—decisions have been made without adequately informing or engaging the public. Environmental impact assessments are rarely communicated in local languages, and the voices of independent experts from affected regions are seldom heard.

This lack of transparency creates space for both genuine dissent and opportunistic opposition. The PPP’s alleged funding of the Kalabagh project followed by its public opposition is one example of this duplicity. If the president indeed approved the Cholistan canal, the government should have stood by the decision and explained how it wouldn’t infringe on Sindh’s water rights. Unless this communication gap is bridged, and unless the government earns back public trust, projects like this will continue to be abandoned—wasting time, resources, and harmony among provinces.

GULSHER PANHWER,

Johi.