ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to reverse the controversial canals project, emphasizing that the demand comes from the people, not just his party. Speaking at a public gathering marking the 46th death anniversary of his father, former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Bilawal stated, “If the people oppose this project, we will stand with them, not the government.”
The federal government’s plan to construct six canals from the Indus River to irrigate the Cholistan desert has sparked widespread protests from various political and nationalist groups, particularly from the PPP. The project, estimated to cost Rs211.4 billion, aims to bring thousands of acres of barren land under cultivation. However, it has been rejected by Sindh-based political parties, who argue it could exacerbate regional water disputes.
Bilawal criticized the government’s approach, calling it unilateral and warning against any decisions that might divide the country over water distribution. He reminded the crowd that his mother, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, had blocked a controversial dam project during her tenure, underlining PPP’s long-standing fight for fair water allocation.
The PPP chairman reaffirmed his party’s stance against the project, stating, “PPP has always resisted unfair water allocation, whether it was under General Musharraf’s government or the PTI’s policies.”
He also condemned the government for pushing ahead with the project despite opposition within his own party and other national groups, saying, “We rejected this project before, and we will continue to reject it.” Bilawal stressed that nationalist groups from both Sindh and Punjab had united against the project, calling for fair water distribution across the country.
“We are the ones who always said ‘Pakistan Khappay’, but fairness in water distribution is non-negotiable,” Bilawal concluded, urging the federal government to heed the concerns of the people of Sindh and Punjab.
