LARKANA: Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has dismissed Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal`s remarks calling Sindh`s protest over construction of six canals on the Indus River a `baseless debate` andadvised the federal government to listen to Sindh`s objections and roll back the controversialproject.

In a press statement issued here on Saturday, Mr Khuhro advised Punjab to tap its groundwater sources to irrigate its land and termed the federal minister`s statement a `weaker stance` by the federal government over the canals` issue.

He questioned whether Punjab had surplus water available to fill Cholistan Canal which had 4,152 cusecs capacity and asked the federal government to clarify from where it would get additional water to fill new canals.

He said that after remodelling of Qadirabad, Sulemanki and Rasool Barrage, water from Jhelum River would be released into Cholistan Canal, and then,he expressed thefear, Taunsa andPanjnad canals would flow throughout the season. Although it was a fact that Chashma-Jehlum Link Canal and Taunsa-Panjnad Canals were `flood canals`, he said.

Therefore, he said, Sindh had strong reservations that water from the `flood canals` would be taken and released uninterruptedly into Cholistan Canal and other controversial canals.

He said that federal minister was talking about 1991`s water accord and just share of water to the provinces. The water accord was not implemented in its true spirit, he claimed.

He said that federal government should come out with crystal clear stand that when Sindh objected over `three tiers` formula of water distribution then why not water distribution was beingdone on the basis of para-2 of the accord.

Brushing aside the federal minister`s contention that no any province would get more than its settled share of water, Mr Khuhro said how by installing pumping machines from Tunsa to Guddu Barrage, Sindh`s share was being stolen.

Touching on MNA Khalid Magsi`s report on water theft from Taunsa to Guddu Barrage, Mr Khuhro said why not the re commendations made in the report were implemented.

He also put a question mark over delay in installing telemetry system, when the federal government was stuck to its stand that water distribution was being carried out justly.

`When we have forum of Council of Common Interests (CCI) with us to decide about provinces objections regarding water distribution, why the federal government is avoiding convening its meeting,` he said adding that by skipping to call meeting of CCI as per the constitutional requirements, federal government was continuously violating the constitution.

Responding to Ahsan Iqbal`s statement, Khuhro said it was matter of fact that he was Nawaz Sharif who had announced constructing Kalabagh Dam and later in the wake of strong reaction of Sindh the PML-N government had backed out from the project.

He said that listening to Sindh`s reaction over the construction of six controversial canals from Indus River; federal govern-ment should wrap up the plan.

He called on centre to implement on the 1991`s water accord and withdraw from the canals projects as people of Sindh had strong reservations and anguish over it.

He urged the federal government to stop calling Sindh`s voice over the controversial canal project a `baseless debate`.

`Sindh will not allow anyone to rob away Sindh`s water,` he said and added already due to shortage of water thousands ofacres ofland had turned barren and again the six canal project would further render Sindh`s land infertile.

Mr Khuhro advised the federal government to listen to the constitutional objections of Sindh at constitutional forum and roll back the plan of digging out six controversial canals from the River Indus.