SHC Halts IRSA’s Water Approval for Controversial Cholistan Canal Project

The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued a stay order on Monday against the water availability certificate granted by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) for constructing canals in Cholistan and Thal.

This decision comes amidst strong opposition from Sindh, which has termed the project unfair and detrimental to its water rights.

The certificate, dated January 25, allowed Punjab to access 450,000 acre-feet of water for the Cholistan Canal System branching from the Sutlej River at Sulemanki Headworks.

However, Sindh’s representatives challenged IRSA’s legality, citing the absence of a Sindh member in the authority and claiming its decisions were unlawful.

The federal government requested time to respond to the petition, with the court directing it to submit a detailed reply by April 18.

The controversial canal project has sparked tensions between federal and provincial governments, with Sindh nationalist parties and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) staging protests against what they perceive as unilateral policies straining the federation.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to roll back the project, warning of withdrawing his party’s support if Sindh’s concerns remain unaddressed. Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah vowed to block the project’s execution as long as the PPP remains active.

The estimated cost of the Cholistan Canal System is Rs211.4 billion, aiming to irrigate 400,000 acres of land in Punjab.

However, Sindh argues that insufficient water availability in the Indus Basin and ecological risks to the Indus Delta make this plan unsustainable.