Cholistan Project on Hold Amid National Backlash
Pakistan has delayed construction of the contentious Cholistan canal irrigation project amid escalating domestic opposition and growing tensions with regard to water rights. The project, to change South Punjab’s desert climate, will remain suspended until a decision is reached by the Council of Common Interests (CCI), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told on April 24. It comes after street protests, notably from Sindh province, charging Punjab with planning to monopolize national water supplies.
The canal project, initiated on February 15 by Army Chief Gen Asim Munir and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, received criticism from political allies such as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and ignited protests across several provinces. In a joint press conference with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, PM Sharif reiterated that no further construction will go ahead without cross-provincial consensus through the CCI.
Indus Waters Treaty in Limbo After Pahalgam Attack
Adding to internal pressures, India has put on hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which has increased regional tensions. The treaty, facilitated by the World Bank in 1960, had weathered four wars and several flashpoints. India’s move is regarded as a reaction to the Jammu and Kashmir Pahalgam region terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
Islamabad views New Delhi’s move as a significant diplomatic escalation with potentially severe consequences for regional water diplomacy. With cross-border relations already strained, the IWT suspension and internal water disputes present a dual crisis for Pakistan’s leadership.
Looking Ahead
While the federal government rushes to counter both global pressure and internal strife, the experts caution of extended instability unless an accommodative system for sharing resources and diplomacy is reinstituted with alacrity. The destiny of water politics in South Asia could be in the balance.
