On Tuesday, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said Sindh has major concerns about carving additional canals from the Indus River, which should be resolved through consensus and reviewed by the Council of Common Interests.
Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said the president underlined the government’s unilateral actions without consensus, including the decision to build Indus canals, in a press conference at Parliament House. President Zardari illuminated the issue for the National Assembly and government. The issue is straining the government and must be addressed, he said. Bilawal said the government should consider the ideas. “The government would not want its projects to become controversial or harm the federating units,” he said.
He stated the PPP was the first to speak out against provincial rights violations. In his last assembly speech, late Nawaz Yousuf Talpur and other PPP members raised the water issue, he added. Chief Minister Sindh, his ministers, and the provincial bureaucracy also raised the matter on every forum. Chairman Bilawal responded that the Council of Common Interests is the appropriate forum to discuss water distribution and that the PPP has repeatedly requested a CCI meeting. Some politicians are using this national issue to advance their careers and criticizing the one party that seeks parity.
He added that the PPP owns the Green Pakistan project and promotes agricultural investment as its philosophy. He remarked, “We want relief for our farmers and wish them to flourish. Bilawal advised prioritizing Punjab and Sindh’s agricultural economies for the initial phase to maximize outcomes. When working together, small landowners need collective bargaining power, he said. The chairman advised provincial governments to use the public-private partnership model to deploy federally supported smart irrigation, making collective farming revolutionary. He added Sindh PPP pilot projects include Thar bio saline agricultural initiatives.
Bilawal said the prime minister should honor the PPP’s political understanding’s core points. He stated the prime minister ordered his team to handle our complaints. He stated the PPP is the third-largest National Assembly force. “Our confidence level has not yet reached the stage where the PPP can become a government coalition partner,” the chairman stated. He claimed PPP has always opposed “half-term prime minister” concept. He claimed “our relations with the government and political stance are in front of everyone”. For national benefit, the PPP is working with the political party that cooperated with it.
Chairman Bilawal thanked PM Shehbaz Sharif for welcoming the PPP delegation at the Iftar dinner. He said inflation was the most important issue, upon which the parties contested the elections, and now that the economic indicators are improving, the PPP joins the rest of the country in congratulating PM Sharif. He added that the PPP also stressed the law and order crisis in Balochistan and KP. “From Parachinar to Bannu and Peshawar, including all tribal areas, terrorism spreads,” he stated. Alluding to the KP government, he said he has “never witnessed such a level of ‘disinterest’ by a provincial government when it comes to the issues concerning their own electorate.” Bilawal said he asked the prime minister to pressure the provincial administration to resolve this. “It is also the federation’s responsibility to look after these issues, as they cannot abandon KP to the whims of the current provincial regime,” he said. He further said addressing the law and order situation is a collective responsibility.
On Balochistan, the chairman PPP said not only law and order is a pressing issue, but climate change is also sinking its claws into the province and the restoration work for devastation caused by the floods needs to be expedited.
Describing the president’s address to parliament as ‘historic’, he said this is the first time in Pakistan’s history that a civilian president addressed the parliament for the eighth time. He said President Zardari’s statesmanship and focus on the issues of the people, as well as advocating consensus-based reforms, was a reflection of the expectations of people. “From economy to terrorism, and Palestine to Kashmir, as well as agriculture and technology, president’s address touched upon all the vital issues faced by the country. The president, as a symbol of the federation, is the sole representative of all elected members of parliament, as well as the provincial assemblies.”
The PPP chairman said that it is the media’s responsibility to disseminate the truth only. “The opposition’s propaganda should not be repeated,” he said. About the upcoming budget, the chairman PPP said he hopes that the PPP and PMLN, as per their agreement, will collectively draft it along with PSDP for the four provinces.
Earlier, while speaking in the National Assembly, Bilawal expressed his condolences on the passing of Nawab Yousuf Talpur, acknowledging his significant contributions to politics. Despite his title, Nawab Yousuf Talpur remained a down-to-earth political activist who began his journey as a student leader, firmly rooted in ideological politics. Bilawal highlighted Yousuf Talpur’s crucial role in democratic movements, ranging from the MRD to ARD, and his steadfast opposition to authoritarian rule. “He endured the oppression of dictators from General Zia to General Musharraf but never wavered in his commitment to democracy,” he said.
In a related development, Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto has assured the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) delegation of playing a positive role in resolving concerns of business community.
A delegation of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), led by its chairman Atif Ikram, called on the PPP chairman at the Zardari House, Islamabad. The delegation briefed Bilawal on the issues faced by the business community. It also discussed matters related to the Federation and chambers. The delegation included United Business Group leader Momin Ali Malik and FPCCI Vice President Zaki Ijaz, President Oil and Marketing Association Tariq Mehmood and Malik Suhail.
Meanwhile, Bilawal Bhutto and First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zaradri attended an Iftar and dinner hosted by former federal minister Qamar Zaman Kaira in their honour. PPP MPs and party officials attend the Iftar dinner. Bilawal and Aseefa met with PPP MPs individually.
