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Punjab opposition stages walkout against surrender

Posted on: Tue February 23, 2010

LAHORE: The opposition in the Punjab Assembly on Monday lodged a strong protest against what they called the provincial governments voluntary surrender of its water share from the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal to Sindh.

The protest led to the exchange of harsh words between provincial minister Raja Riaz and opposition members, which prompted them to stage a walkout in protest against the use of non-parliamentary language by the minister.

Opposition Leader Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, Sardar Mohsin Khan Leghari and other noted opposition members raised quite an uproar over the issue of Punjabs surrendering 2,000 cusecs of water per day from the Chashma canal, and alleged that the government had sold out the Punjabs water to Sindh at a cost of possible disaster to the agriculture sector, which was the mainstay of the provincial economy.

At the outset of the session, Mohsin Leghari, on a point of order, drew the speakers attention towards the reports that the Punjab government had voluntarily allowed the reduction of water flow in the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal from 5,000 cusecs per day to 3,000 cusecs. He asked the speaker to allow holding of a proper debate on the issue as it concerned the provincial and national economy, and issue directions to the minister concerned to take the House into confidence about the actual decisions made by the government.

He said Minister for Irrigation and Power Raja Riaz had been representing the Punjab in the Irsa meetings and he should reply to the House about what transpired there. Chaudhry Zaheer also demanded of the government to take the House and the masses into confidence over their unilateral giving away of the provinceís share of water.

Raja Riaz said the prime minister had called the meeting of all chief ministers to resolve the issue of water-sharing and the Punjab chief minister had suggested to him that the four chief ministers would decide and resolve the issue among themselves amicably with negotiations.

Courtesy : The News