Terrorism and canals: PPP leaders say they want to take all parties on board

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Central Secretary Information Nadeem Afzal Chan and In-charge of Peoples Labour Bureau Pakistan Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed have said that the PPP wants to move forward on issues like terrorism and canals by taking all parties on board.

They were addressing a press conference at the PPP Central Secretariat here Wednesday.

Chaudhry Manzoor said that the PPP has never talked about division and the party is not into a point-scoring. He said that the PPP always protects the right of the people. If there’s already a water shortage, then where will the water for new canals come from, he asked. “Farmers are already facing difficulties and like always the PPP is standing with them. The PPP is aligned with the system and democracy and not the government. Our objective is not to topple anyone, but to resolve public issues and ensure people’s rights,” he said.

However, Chan, responding to the Punjab government’s information minister, said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is not the sole representative of Punjab. He said alleged that the PML-N could be the heir of General Ziaul Haq but not Punjab because the heirs do not sell people’s properties worth billions.

He said that the PPP is ready to debate the water issue. He said that talks are ongoing with the government on political matters. He said that the PPP is in coalition for the Parliament and with the parliamentary system and not just with the PML-N.

Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed said that President Asif Zardari has not approved the canal projects. Why a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) is not being called, he asked. He said there is already a 43 per cent water shortage in the Indus River system. He demanded clarity from Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on which canal would be diverted to supply water to Cholistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025