In a step to dampen the flames of controversy over the channel projects, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar Monday’s legislators that not even a drop of Sindh’s water would be redirected to any other province, adding that all disputed scheme would be reviewed with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on board.

DAR responded to PPP’s growing turmoil over the channel projects on the Indus River as the party demanded an immediate stop to work on disputed channels and called for a meeting of the Council for Common Interest (CCI).

Chairman of the National Assembly Session, Ayaz Sadiq monitored the heated debate when PPP legislators pressed the government for clarity on the matter.

DAR, who offers insurance in his political statement, said the question of the channels had first come up with the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), and any further action was postponed after the OPP’s objections.

He claimed he had not allowed channel -related questions to be included in the agenda for subsequent meetings.

“Sometimes misunderstandings arise and they need to be cleared. We are all brothers,” Dar said. “I have close ties with PPP and can assure you that not even a single drop of Sindh’s water will be taken for Punjab.”

He clarified that Punjab was free to implement development projects using his own share of water, but no other province would be allowed to violate Sindh’s quota.

Without naming, he referred to a controversial statement from a Punjab minister and called it “inappropriate.”

“From the creation of IRSA to its current operation, national interest has always been our guiding principle. The Prime Minister has ordered Sindh’s legitimate concerns to be addressed,” Dar added.

He added that the channel question would be reviewed technically and jointly with PPP.

Minister of Information Ataullah Tarar also weighed in and said, “We shouldn’t bulldoze the house”.

“Water Accord from 1991 laid the procedure for water distribution. We are always ready for consensus,” Tarar added.

Earlier, at an order point, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf shared his recent experience visiting Sindh on the occasion of former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s death year. “I witnessed the emotional public reaction to channel extraction projects. With provinces already facing water shortages, where will the water for new channels come from?” He asked.

He said President Asif Ali Zardari himself had expressed opposition to such projects during his speech in the house.

Shabbir Bijarani said two channels had already been extracted from Indus, and the province was facing a significant water deficit. “Sindh got 15% of his share and it has now been cut by 40%.”

He called for the Prime Minister to make a political statement in parliament and announce that no new channels will be developed.