Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah held a phone conversation with Sindh’s Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, where both leaders agreed to address the ongoing six canals dispute through dialogue and mutual understanding, sources in Karachi told Aaj News.

Rana Sanaullah conveyed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif have directed the federal government to resolve Sindh’s concerns through negotiation. “We are ready to talk with the Sindh government on the canals issue and find a mutually acceptable solution,” he stated.

Sharjeel Inam Memon reiterated that the Sindh government has consistently voiced its opposition to the canal projects. “The PPP and the people of Sindh have serious reservations about these canals,” he said, stressing that water should be distributed fairly in line with the 1991 Water Accord. He added that PPP is open to talks but firm on safeguarding Sindh’s rights.

Background: What is the six canals issue?

The controversy centers on six proposed canals—Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC), Greater Thal Canal, Chashma-Akram Canal, Dera Ismail Khan Canal, Tank Zam Dam Canal, and South Punjab Canal—planned or revived by federal authorities, many of which would draw water from the Indus River system. Sindh has opposed these canals, arguing they threaten its water share and violate the spirit of the 1991 Water Accord, which governs inter-provincial water distribution.

Sindh officials maintain that the province already suffers from water shortages, and the construction of these canals without consensus would further exacerbate the crisis. The federal government, however, views some of the projects as essential for addressing irrigation needs in underdeveloped areas of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The issue has become a flashpoint in Centre–Sindh relations, with PPP leaders warning of protests and legal action if the projects proceed without Sindh’s consent.