Senate session turns heated as PTI, PPP clash over water diversion plans
- Competing resolutions spark walkouts and fiery exchanges
- PPP demands urgent CCI meeting over worsening water crisis
- Sherry Rehman slams unilateral water diversion as injustice
- Shibli Faraz calls out PPP’s mixed signals, criticizes parliament’s passivity
ISLAMABAD: A tense Senate session on Tuesday saw intense verbal sparring and walkouts as the PTI and PPP clashed over the disputed Cholistan canal project. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar told the Senate the federal government is open to a multi-party consultation to resolve the issue, emphasizing that all actions would be in line with constitutional guidelines and in coordination with the Sindh government.
Tarar said the matter had already been discussed with coalition partners, particularly the PPP, and that Adviser Rana Sanaullah had been directed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to engage Sindh in constructive talks. He pledged that no decision would be forced through.
Criticizing the PTI for what he termed “hollow protests” after their electoral defeat in Sindh’s Tharparkar district, Tarar said such politics were unproductive.
The session turned chaotic when PTI Senator Saifullah Abro pushed for his party’s resolution on the issue, while PPP Senator Sherry Rehman demanded priority for her own resolution. When Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani proceeded with the question hour without addressing their points of order, PTI senators erupted in protest, chanting slogans and accusing the government of diverting water to benefit corporate farming.
Tensions rose further when PTI’s Senator Falak Naz Chitrali accused the PPP of double standards, prompting a sharp response from PPP’s Shahadat Awan, who mocked PTI leadership using props and labeled Imran Khan a “watch thief.” The PPP also staged a walkout over the project.
Parliament a ‘Rubber Stamp,’ Says Opposition
Later, during a resumed session, PTI’s Leader of the Opposition Shibli Faraz criticized the government for not using the opening session of the new parliamentary year for accountability. He slammed the PPP for what he called inconsistent positions on the water issue and accused the party of failing to back its concerned lawmakers.
Faraz also argued that the parliament had become a symbolic “rubber stamp,” referencing recent legislation like the 26th Amendment. He pointed to the ongoing absence of 11 senators from KP and warned the province may lack Senate representation by 2027 unless elections are held. He also condemned the delay in action on production orders for jailed PTI senators and accused the government of violating constitutional articles.
A quorum call led to adjournment, with the Senate scheduled to reconvene on Friday at 11:30 a.m. Earlier, the House observed a moment of silence in memory of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday.
PPP Calls for Urgent CCI Meeting
Speaking to media outside Parliament, PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman demanded an immediate Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting to tackle the worsening water crisis. She criticized the federal government’s canal plans, warning they risk increasing provincial tensions.
“The Indus River is at historic lows. Where will the water come from for these new canals?” she asked, emphasizing that PPP leaders Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari have consistently opposed new canals without broad consensus.
“This is a national crisis, not just Sindh’s problem,” she added, calling water scarcity a threat to agriculture, livelihoods, and national unity.
Rehman insisted the matter be addressed institutionally through the CCI and not through backroom deals. She highlighted worsening drought conditions in districts like Badin, Thatta, and Sujawal, and cautioned that rising frustrations among farmers could spark unrest.
“If pushed, we will resist — peacefully but firmly. We have always fought for people’s rights,” she declared.
She also questioned the reliability of recent Irsa reports and demanded transparency in water allocation. “Unilateral decisions violate cooperative federalism — and fairness,” she said, calling for urgent, constructive dialogue. “It’s time to choose the Constitution over chaos.”
