Altaf Slams River Indus Canal Project, Accuses PPP of Betraying Sindh-
LONDON. [UK]. APRIL 9: In a fiery address on April 9, 2025, MQM founder and leader Altaf Hussain vehemently opposed the construction of new canals from the River Indus, branding the project as a calculated attempt to render Sindh barren and water-deprived. He claimed the initiative, cloaked under the Green Pakistan Initiative, is, in fact, a “Green Punjab Project” designed to benefit Punjab at the devastating cost of Sindh’s ecological and agricultural survival.
Hussain accused President Asif Ali Zardari, also PPP Chairman, of greenlighting the controversial project during a high-level meeting at Aiwan-e-Sadr. He condemned the PPP's public protests as duplicitous, calling them a façade to mislead the people of Sindh while being complicit in the project’s approval.
Referring to the 1970s tripartite agreement and the 1991 Water Accord, Hussain asserted that Punjab has continuously violated Sindh’s rights to water, with IRSA failing to ensure equitable distribution. He highlighted the rapid development of multiple canals—Kachhi, Rainee, Thar, Thal, and notably the Cholistan Canal, launched on October 12, 2024—as a serious threat to Sindh’s future.
He revealed that while 1.2 million acres of Cholistan are being greened through corporate farming, over 12 million acres in Sindh face ruin. According to Hussain, the project will enrich military-backed enterprises and feudal elites, while common citizens remain deprived and vulnerable.
Quoting The News’ March 28 report, Hussain reaffirmed that Zardari approved the canal project in July 2024. He urged Sindh's people to peacefully protest outside Bilawal House, Zardari House, and Aiwan-e-Sadr.
Declaring total rejection of the canal expansion, Hussain reiterated MQM’s demand for strict adherence to the 1991 Water Accord to protect Sindh’s rights and preserve federal equity.