Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday reaffirmed his party’s stance on new canals, warning that the PPP might withdraw its support for the government if work on the canals is not stopped.
“If the government remains adamant about its plan, then so are we. We will not yield an inch on our demand,” Bilawal stated while addressing a PPP rally in Hyderabad.
“The PPP cannot support a government project that would ‘economically kill farmers’,” he said, demanding an immediate halt to the canal project’s development.
“The people of Sindh have once again proven that the arrow is their only mandate,” he said, referencing PPP’s electoral symbol.
Bilawal said the people of Sindh have rejected the canal projects and are angry over this issue. “Yet those in Islamabad remain blind and deaf to our voices. Out of six canals, two were approved by Prisoner No 420,” a veiled reference to a political rival. “Let it be clear — we oppose your project,” he asserted.
Bilawal emphasised that the water distribution issue could threaten national cohesion. “We made Shehbaz Sharif prime minister not once, but twice. And now you think you can intimidate us with threats?” he questioned.
Earlier today, PPP spokesperson Shazia Marri strongly denounced the federal government’s proposal to construct six new canals on the River Indus, calling it a reckless move in the face of an already dire water crisis affecting Sindh and Balochistan.
In a statement, Shazia Marri called for the immediate withdrawal of what she described as an “ill-conceived plan,” emphasising the acute water shortages faced by the populations of the two provinces.
She highlighted that the party, under Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, maintains staunch opposition to the project. Marri noted that the PPP Chairman has previously cautioned federal authorities regarding the controversial proposal.
“Chairman Bilawal will raise this critical issue during his address at a major public rally in Hyderabad today,” Marri confirmed, indicating the party’s intent to mobilise public opinion on the matter.
The spokesperson accused the PML-N-led federal government of disregarding the sensitivity surrounding water distribution. “This is not just a political issue—it’s a question of survival,” she stated.
Marri questioned the viability of the proposed canals amidst current water deficits in the Indus system.
“When the system is already facing a critical shortage, where exactly will the water for these new canals come from?” she questioned.
Reiterating the party’s resolve, Marri asserted that the PPP “will never allow the construction of six canals on the River Indus.” She further warned that pursuing the proposal could be perceived as a “deliberate attempt to create unrest in the country.”
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