PPP leader Faryal Talpur on Sunday said that her party would not allow the construction of new canals over the Indus River and warned that if such issues kept cropping up, the entire province would rise, adding that they did not want any chaos in Sindh.

Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz inaugurated the ambitious Cholistan project to irrigate south Punjab’s lands on February 15 amid public uproar and strong reservations in Sindh.

The contentious $3.3 billion Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI) launched by the federal government to develop six canals to irrigate 1.2 million acres of “barren land” in south Punjab has been strongly opposed by the PPP, which is in power in Sindh, as well as farmers and other stakeholders. Lawyers warned the federal government yesterday that they would initiate protests if the planned construction of canals in Cholistan was not stopped within a week.

Earlier this week, lawyers warned the federal government that they would initiate protests if the planned construction of canals in Cholistan was not stopped within a week.

Addressing a rally organised at the residence of Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon’s residence in Tando Jam today, Talpur said even her party workers would not allow the construction of canals.

“It is a question of your livelihood, and it is a question of water,” she added.

She criticised the opposition for underestimating the PPP, adding that it was a party of martyrs and leaders who had sacrificed their lives.

“We will fight till our last breath but will not allow the construction of these canals,” she said, recalling President Asif Ali Zardari’s statement in the joint session of parliament where he opposed the construction of canals.

“What are you going to do? Are you going to irrigate a desert by destroying a garden?” Talpur asked.

“Where did this mindset actually come from?” she said, questioning as to what kind of politics this was.

PPP Sindh President Nisar Khuhro pointed out that people were aware of the conditions prevailing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and restive Balochistan.

“Now there should not be any conflict between Sindh and Punjab, but the PPP will not allow this attack on the province’s water. That’s why the PPP chairman [Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari] is going to address a public meeting,” he said, urging workers to attend the event on April 18.

He added that the PPP had sacrificed for the country, and people were talking about the disintegration of the country just for the sake of one canal.

Sindh Senior Minister Memon also vociferously rejected the canals project, saying that the rural area’s economy revolved around water, livestock and agriculture.

“And if you deprive us of these resources, then do you want to kill us of thirst?” he asked.

The minister lashed out at opponents of the PPP, saying that when former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was president, these people were staging a pro-Kalabagh Dam rally.

He maintained that the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, which was now in opposition, had staged a rally in support of Kalabagh Dam in Sanghar back then.

“I have in my record statement of their leaders and can show them if they sit with me.”

The minister said that today these elements were indulging in politics only to mislead people and launch propaganda against President Zardari, adding that the PPP had made it clear that it would not accept the canals.

He continued that those who have read the law and the Constitution knew that the president could not even approve a single kilometre of a road project.

“They are liars [opponents] and only want to malign us through deception,” he added.