No new canals without provinces' consent, assures Bilawal Bhutto

Sukkur (Web Desk): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Friday announced that the federal government has made a principled decision that no new canal will be constructed from the Indus River without the consent of all provinces.

Addressing a public gathering in Sukkur, Bilawal termed this development a victory of peaceful democratic struggle and said it reflects the will of the people.

 He emphasized that from now on, no scheme will be approved in the Council of Common Interests (CCI) if even a single province raises objections, regardless of a majority vote.

Bilawal further stated that both the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have reached a consensus on this vital national issue, agreeing that mutual consent among provinces must take priority.

 He thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for listening to the concerns of the people and responding positively.

The PPP cheif added that the federal government has now acknowledged that all provinces have equal rights to water, and that the 1991 Water Accord and the 2018 National Water Policy will serve as guiding frameworks in this regard.

The PPP chairman also urged that a meeting of the Council of Common Interests be convened without delay to formally approve the agreed policy.