Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday assured the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of addressing its concerns over the “controversial” project, regarding the plan to carve out more canals from the Indus River System.
The assurance came during an Iftar dinner hosted by the Prime Minister on March 10 in honor of a PPP delegation led by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the PPP’s media wing said in a statement.
The meeting comes hours after President Asif Ali Zardari’s expressed strong reservations over the Indus canal project during a joint session of Parliament, cautioning that unilateral decisions on water distribution could undermine federal unity.
In his address today, President Zardari highlighted that the decision had drawn “strong opposition from federating units.”
“It is a proposal that I as your President cannot support,” he emphasised.
“As President of Pakistan, I have been elected by all four provincial assemblies, the National Assembly, and the Senate of Pakistan,” President Zardari said, adding, “In the constitutional framework, it is my duty to represent the Federation.”
According to the statement, the PPP delegation also raised the issue of worsening security in Kurram district, calling for urgent intervention to restore peace.
Additionally, it criticised the lack of relief efforts for flood-affected communities in Balochistan, stressing the need for immediate action.
PM Shehbaz acknowledged the PPP’s concerns and assured that the government would engage relevant authorities to address them. He reaffirmed his commitment to working with all political parties to ensure harmony between the federation and the provinces.