HYDERABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s chairman Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has raised questions over provision of complete water share to Karachi and asked Sindh’s rulers to explain how much quantum of water out of Sindh’s total share is being supplied to the metropolis.

He said that Sindh might be getting inadequate water share but whether Karachi was being given 37pc share in Sindh’s water as the metropolis was 37pc of the province’s total area. Whether Karachi was being supplied 15pc, 20pc or one per cent less than its water share out of Sindh’s total share in interprovincial water distribution, he asked.

He was speaking to journalists and addressing annual charity programme organised by Khidmat-i-Khalq Foundation, the party’s welfare wing, at KKF medical complex opposite Hyderabad railway station on Sunday.

He said: “All over the world drinking water is given priority. When Karachi demanded water people ask it to approach federal government but the federal government doesn’t have single drop of water. Flows are available with provinces.

There is no question as to distribution of water between urban and rural areas in Punjab. This question arises in Sindh alone”.

He said that objections were being raised by Sindh over six canals must be heard. It was high time Pakistan’s future framework was drawn by taking all political forces and people on board, he said.

He proposed that experts should be engaged to discuss canals issue so that a decision could be taken. No robbery over Sindh’s water should be committed and lands across Sindh and Pakistan should be cultivated to keep producing food, he said.

He said that president did not oppose canals project in his address to joint sitting of parliament but raised questions over it and called for resolving it through dialogue. “MQM believes the matter should be discussed through dialogue,” he said.

“Engagement only option”

About terrorist activities, Siddiqui said that no ‘action plan’ was needed. “Only action is needed today. Plan is not needed because same pattern of terrorist activities is being seen for past 15 to 20 years. There must have been preparations to tackle the challenge. The terror incidents are occurring frequently. Nation should be taken on board,” he said.

He said that MQM had already said the prime minister should take initiative or MQM would convene an all party conference as it was need of the hour. “Peoples’ miseries should be understood and heard. They should be held out assurance. The problem will not be resolved until every single Pakistani is treated at par and considered loyal equally,” he said.

He remarked that people should be given a patient hearing and their pain should be felt. Injustices should be addressed. “Whatever is given should not be termed as a favour but it should be given as people’s right,” he said.

“We should see whether it is cross border terrorism and whether there is element of some international conspiracy. There is no way out except engagement and negotiations,” he said.

The party leaders Anis Kaimkhani, Kaiful Wara, local MQM leaders and parliamentarians were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2025