A heated protest broke out in the Senate on Tuesday as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senators accused the federal government of stealing Sindh’s water and demanded an immediate discussion on the controversial canal project.
The session, presided over by Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani, started off tense as opposition members expressed frustration over not being given a chance to speak. According to Express News, the situation quickly escalated when PPP senators rose from their seats, chanting slogans like “Water thieves not acceptable” and “Stop stealing Sindh’s water.”
Senator Saifullah Abro highlighted that people in Sindh have been protesting against the canal project for more than a week. He emphasized that multiple parties had already submitted resolutions to the Senate and demanded the issue be addressed without delay.
Chairman Gillani responded by asking Senator Abro to wait until after the question hour, but Abro, refusing to back down, staged a sit-in in front of the chairman’s dais.
Gillani then suggested coordinating the matter through Senator Sherry Rehman for a formal debate, but the PPP senators weren’t satisfied with the response. In protest, they walked out of the session.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar tried to ease tensions by stating that the government was open to discussion and reassured that no decisions would be made without proper consultation. He added that cabinet members were present and ready to answer questions.
Meanwhile, the session was further disrupted when a quorum check revealed the required number of senators was not present. Initially, it appeared that the quorum was complete, but a recount proved otherwise, prompting the ringing of quorum bells.
The protest grew louder as PTI senators also began shouting slogans. Senator Humayun Mohmand criticized the government, calling it disgraceful for ruling party members to raise quorum issues. PTI’s Senator Falak Naz Chitrali joined in with chants like “PPP drowned in shame.”
By the end of the session, only one senator from the ruling PML-N, Nasir Butt, remained in the chamber.
Leader of the Opposition Shibli Faraz added to the criticism, noting that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has been left without Senate representation for over a year. He blamed the delay in filling Sania Nishtar’s vacant seat on political maneuvering by certain parties.
Chairman Gillani explained that the Election Commission had already been notified about the vacancy. However, with only 19 members present—far short of the required quorum—he adjourned the session until Friday at 10:30 AM.
