"If a New Canal is Built on the Indus River, We Absolutely Do Not Approve," Nasir Hussain Shah
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00:00Naseer Hussain Shah, thank you very much for your time.
00:03We were trying to summarize Sadr's speech.
00:10He talked a lot about political stability.
00:13He talked about how the government has done some economic improvements.
00:17He talked about share of interest.
00:21He talked about his reserves.
00:23But he also showed some reservations.
00:26He talked about the situation in Cholistan.
00:30We were listening to what he had to say.
00:34We were getting reservations from you as well.
00:36But today, Sadr has also raised this issue.
00:40If you want to elaborate on this issue,
00:44was there no on-board support from the government?
00:48In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
00:52Allahumma salli ala Muhammad wa ala Muhammad.
00:56Today, President Asim Ali Sardari has made history.
01:01He was the 7th elected president in a joint session.
01:11Today, he talked about the hope of hatred.
01:20And he talked about the agreement on sharing.
01:25If you look at his speech today.
01:28And if you have a question about the canals,
01:33it is also in this that we all have to come to one page.
01:38And if there are reservations of a province,
01:41and there are valid reservations,
01:44then they should definitely be concerned.
01:47The issue is that this is a very serious issue.
01:51And the situation of water is in front of all of us.
01:56Water is very important.
01:58All over the world, and especially in countries like ours.
02:02And then the current global conditions,
02:07the environment, climate change,
02:10Pakistan is suffering the most.
02:13I will just say that,
02:15as soon as the dam came,
02:20they called it Kalabagh Shosha,
02:24or made it Mutanaza.
02:26And then there was no talk of other dams.
02:29And then there was a global delay.
02:32And that Shosha was highlighted.
02:36It was said that those who are saying no to it,
02:40are against big countries.
02:43But no one said no to the other dams.
02:46Why did they say no to Mutanaza?
02:49Who are they to delay them?
02:52Are they our own people of Pakistan?
02:54I mean, there are a lot of issues.
02:56What is the issue now?
02:59The Bhadshah scheme was supposed to start in your time.
03:02If I am not mistaken.
03:04But then there was a delay.
03:06Yes, yes.
03:08But suddenly,
03:10Kalabagh was highlighted for a few years.
03:13And at that time,
03:15there was money for the dam case.
03:20But then everyone started scoring points.
03:24And nowadays it is surprising.
03:27Even in Sindh,
03:29there are a lot of political parties
03:31who are scoring points.
03:33At that time, it was us of Kalabagh.
03:35So there are a lot of issues.
03:37What is the issue?
03:38The issue is that there is less water.
03:39There is less water.
03:40There is less water.
03:41I will only say one thing.
03:43That if a new canal is built on the river Sindh,
03:47we do not accept it at all.
03:49We do not accept it.
03:50Already, water does not reach us.
03:53Our lakhs of acres of land has come to the sea.
03:57The reason for this is that
03:59the IMF wants 10 to 14 acres.
04:04The water that goes there,
04:06cannot go there.
04:08And there is an acute shortage.
04:10After every 10 to 8 years,
04:12water comes.
04:14But the situation every year is very worrisome.
04:17And then one more important thing,
04:19I will request everyone.
04:21All of us are Pakistanis.
04:23For us, Pakistan is the most important.
04:26What is the situation today?
04:28Today, is all the land of Punjab,
04:31which was fertile land,
04:32water reaching there?
04:34You take the report there.
04:36What is happening there?
04:37Now, if it is said that
04:39they are making something from their share,
04:43then their first share is enough for the whole of Punjab.
04:49All the land there has become fertile.
04:52Those who were fertile, are getting water.
04:55Let me tell you,
04:56our objection is valid.
04:58We will have water.
04:59But the PND department,
05:02they also objected to this canal.
05:05That these are the fertile areas of Punjab,
05:09they will have to be destroyed
05:12if something like this happens.
05:14By the way, Mr. Afnaan,
05:16managing the irrigation is their responsibility.
05:20One, they raised the question that
05:22there is their fertile land,
05:23it is difficult to reach water there.
05:25Secondly, we often talk about the modern ways of irrigation.
05:28There is a lot of work going on all over the world.
05:30For us, it is the same
05:31that you can do anything through surface irrigation.
05:33But all over the world,
05:34there is a lot going on
05:35that there is a drip irrigation system,
05:36there is a sprinkler system in place.
05:38It has its pros and cons of both systems.
05:40But if there is a water scarcity of water,
05:42it can be managed.
05:43So, we have never thought of working on this.
05:45There are a lot of serious concerns on this.
05:47See, the Punjab government gives a lot of concessions on this.
05:52If you want to install drip irrigation,
05:5470% will be given by the government
05:55and 30% will be paid by you.
05:56Similarly, they have schemes on solar too.
05:59Similarly, if you want to build a small dam on someone's land,
06:03there is a separate scheme for that
06:05which the government of Punjab is offering.
06:07There are also issues with solar in its place.
06:08There are issues with solar,
06:09but if you connect solar with active well,
06:11you will get water.
06:12If your water comes down to the ground,
06:13you will get water.
06:14But due to the bill,
06:15they were worried and still stopped the water supply.
06:17Now, due to solar,
06:18there is no control over it.
06:19As much as possible.
06:20Now, of course, it is because of solar.
06:22See, there is always a cause.
06:23Yes, but if the water reservoir is good,
06:26then you can use it.
06:27The thing is,
06:28if we use modern techniques like drip irrigation,
06:31the requirement of water will be the same.
06:34According to that.
06:35Instead of wasting water.
06:37I think,
06:38as a nation,
06:40we should focus on this.
06:43All political parties,
06:45all major stakeholders,
06:47that we take out money and complete Basha Dam.
06:50Before the problem gets worse.
06:52And I am telling you,
06:53the problem will get worse.
06:54It is happening, it is visible.
06:55Because according to the February 2029 agreement,
06:57it is the completion date.
06:58And its cost,
06:59from 480 billion.
07:01The disease of Jujo medicine has increased.
07:03From 480 billion,
07:041.4 trillion has gone.
07:05Okay.
07:06From 480 billion,
07:07120 billion has already been released by this government
07:10and the previous government of PDM.
07:12So work is being done on it.
07:14This is not a stopgap.
07:15But,
07:16if we do this,
07:17no matter how,
07:18we should collect resources for it
07:20and complete it.
07:22So that Pakistan does not have a major water scarcity problem.
07:26Because this is the solution to the problem.
07:29As far as water is concerned,
07:31the thing is,
07:32Irsa has a metering system.
07:35With which they measure how much water is coming and going.
07:38Okay.
07:39So if Sindh's water is going back and forth,
07:41then it is obvious that
07:42under the metering system,
07:43it will be known
07:44that you did not give them
07:45as much water as Sindh had.
07:46But,
07:47there has to be a discussion about it.
07:48No,
07:49see,
07:50Irsa,
07:51the relevant institution is Irsa.
07:53Okay.
07:54And in it,
07:55there is a representative of all provinces.
07:56Okay.
07:57There is Sindhi,
07:58and others,
07:59and there is a rotating presidency.
08:00And at the moment,
08:01I think,
08:02it is with Balochistan.
08:03So that is a relevant platform.
08:04Okay.
08:05So,
08:06I am sure,
08:07there will be some discussion
08:08about it.
08:09Yes.
08:10Okay.
08:11With Balochistan.