Bilawal Threatens to Exit Govt if Canal Plans Not Shelved
PPP Chairman warns federal govt over controversial Indus River projects
HYDERABAD – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari issued a strong warning to the federal government on Friday, threatening to leave the ruling coalition if controversial canal projects on the Indus River are not scrapped.
Speaking at a massive public gathering at Hatri Bypass Ground, Bilawal lashed out at the federal leadership for ignoring Sindh’s concerns. “We won’t be part of any government that disregards our principled stance,” he said, referring to new canal plans that PPP claims endanger Sindh’s water rights.
“We don’t care about ministries — we care about respect. Accept the will of the people,” he declared.
Bilawal accused the government of implementing “anti-farmer” policies, denying provinces the right to wheat procurement, and imposing unfair taxes on agriculture amid skyrocketing input costs.
He added that the Shehbaz Sharif-led government cannot function without PPP’s support. “If they don’t shelve this project, then we won’t support them,” Bilawal warned, reiterating that his party would stand firm, even if it meant political sacrifices.
He also denounced alleged threats from accountability institutions like NAB, defending Sindh’s Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro from accusations linked to a Rs5 billion land reference.
Bilawal applauded the people of Umerkot for rejecting the canal project through their vote, referencing PPP’s win in the by-election after Nawab Yusuf Talpur’s passing.
Drawing historical parallels, he said his mother, Benazir Bhutto, had opposed projects like the Kalabagh Dam, and PPP would continue that legacy. “When Raja Pervez Ashraf became water minister, he buried the Kalabagh Dam once and for all,” he added.
Federal Govt Urged to Bring Issue to CCI
In a related development, senior PPP leader Farhatullah Babar in Islamabad demanded that the controversial canal project be brought to the Council of Common Interest (CCI) for deliberation.
He accused the elite of capturing national resources under the guise of development and corporate farming, urging the federal government to declare a National Drought Emergency given Pakistan’s severe water shortage.
“It’s unclear where the water for six new canals in Punjab will come from,” Babar said. “The government must clarify whether this will impact existing provincial water shares or pull from the Indus.”
