Hyderabad (Web Desk):Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has strongly rejected the canal project, stating that the people of Sindh and Pakistan are against it.
Addressing a public gathering in Hyderabad, Bilawal Bhutto congratulated the PPP on its victory in the by-elections for the National Assembly seat in Umar Kot. He expressed that the people of Sindh once again proved their unwavering support for the PPP.
He expressed surprise that both PTI and PML-N had united on a single agenda during the by-election, but despite their efforts, the people delivered them a historic defeat, leaving them unable to face the public. Their singular focus was to defeat the PPP, but the people rejected their efforts.
Bilawal Bhutto further stated that PPP voters have delivered a crushing blow to Islamabad, sending a clear message that the people of Sindh still stand by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and President Asif Ali Zardari. He added that the people of Sindh and Pakistan have shown through their support that they reject the canal project, a project that PPP has always opposed.
He referred to the time when the so-called "prisoner number 420" had given permission for two canals out of six to be built, a decision that PPP had resisted back then as well. Bilawal emphasized that equitable distribution of water is not just a national issue, but also a global responsibility.
He warned that this issue could jeopardize the federation and pose an international risk for Pakistan.
He reminded the audience of the time when PPP resisted the two-canal decision, and through people's power, they were able to bring about a no-confidence motion and remove the person responsible for it from office.
Bilawal Bhutto made it clear that the struggle for water rights is a battle for both him and the people, a fight inherited from Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, who had raised her voice against controversial dams. He noted that Raja Pervez Ashraf, PPP’s Minister for Water Resources, had successfully buried the controversial project.
He reiterated that the PPP has consistently opposed the canal project on principled grounds and for the sake of protecting the federation. He also cautioned that, at a time when terrorist organizations are attacking Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, raising such a divisive issue could lead to inter-provincial conflict, weaken the federation, and endanger lives due to water shortages.
Bilawal Bhutto concluded by stating that those pushing for the canal project are in Islamabad, holding power due to the support of Sindh's people. He said that if Shehbaz Sharif is the Prime Minister today, it is thanks to the people of Sindh.
