On April 5, 2025, a verbal exchange occurred between Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari and Sindh Senior Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon regarding the federal government’s plan to construct six new canals on the Indus River. This development follows the inauguration of the Cholistan project on February 15 by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir, aimed at irrigating lands in southern Punjab.
The Sindh Assembly had previously passed a resolution opposing the canal project, demanding a halt to any related activities until all provincial governments, particularly Sindh, reached an agreement to ensure the province’s rights were protected. Additionally, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) organized rallies across Sindh to protest the proposed construction.
Minister Bokhari criticized PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s opposition to the project, suggesting that he should engage with the federal government to find a solution. She also claimed that President Asif Ali Zardari had approved the projects, stating, “It is documented, it is signed.”
In response, Minister Memon questioned Bokhari’s understanding of the Constitution, asserting that the president does not have the mandate to approve such projects. He emphasized that the federal government had not followed the proper process and reiterated the PPP’s stance of siding with the people rather than the Shehbaz government.