Pakistan: Bhutto Issues Ultimatum on Indus Canal Controversy
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Synopsis
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a pivotal coalition partner in the federal government, has threatened to withdraw its support if the disputed canal project on the Indus River is not abandoned. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed concerns during a rally in Hyderabad, asserting that the federal government is ignoring their objections.
Key Takeaways
- PPP threatens government withdrawal over Indus canal project.
- Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demands the project cancellation.
- Thousands protest against the project in Khairpur.
- Karachi Bar Association leads indefinite sit-in.
- Farmers warn of consequences if project proceeds.
Islamabad, April 19 (NationPress) The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which is a key partner in the ruling coalition of the federal government, has issued a warning to withdraw its support from the government unless the contentious canal project on the Indus River is cancelled, according to local media reports from Saturday.
During a significant public rally at the Hatri Bypass Ground in Hyderabad, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated that his party would not remain aligned with the federal government if it does not retract the disputed projects, even after recognizing the PPP’s concerns.
He expressed frustration that the federal government is ignoring the input of its coalition partner and refuses to abandon plans for new canals.
“I had hoped that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would reconsider the project after witnessing such backlash because he knows that without the PPP’s backing, he cannot conduct assembly sessions or pass the budget. However, it appears he is unwilling to cancel the project. If that’s the case, then we are not prepared to concede either,” Bilawal Bhutto asserted.
In his criticism of the coalition partner, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), he argued that their initiatives consistently endanger the agricultural sector.
“Every project endorsed by that party is detrimental to farmers,” Bilawal Bhutto remarked.
Meanwhile, a large gathering of thousands, primarily lawyers, assembled in Babarloi town of Khairpur district in response to a call for an indefinite sit-in by the Karachi Bar Association against the federal government regarding the six canal projects on the Indus River.
Participants included lawyers, leaders, workers, and supporters from various Sindhi nationalist groups and civil society organizations.
In addressing the demonstrators and local media, Karachi Bar Association President Amir Warraich announced that the sit-in would persist indefinitely. He demanded the immediate cessation of the canal project on the Indus, warning that it would devastate Sindh’s agricultural lands.
“There can be no compromise regarding Sindh’s rightful share of Indus River water,” he proclaimed. Warraich also cautioned that if their demands remained unmet, the legal community would boycott court sessions and obstruct rail traffic across Sindh, escalating their struggle to the next level.
Moreover, numerous farmers and their supporters organized a rally under the banner of Sindh Abadgar Ittehad in Tando Muhammad Khan on Friday, as part of the ongoing protest against the controversial canal projects on the Indus River.
The protesting farmers warned that citizens from all over Sindh would participate in the sit-in at Babarloi organized by lawyers and political activists. "The federal government must abandon the canal project on the Indus River. If this project is not cancelled, it could lead to the government’s downfall," they declared.
