HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal-Bhutto Zardari has warned that his party would part ways with the ruling coalition led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) if the federal government failed to address its serious reservations over the controversial canals project.
“The federal government must immediately roll back its controversial canal project, otherwise the PPP cannot work with you [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz],” the PPP chief said while addressing a public gathering in Hyderabad.
The controversial canals project has become a bone of contention between the two major political parties, which are allies in the Centre.
The issue relates to the federal government’s plan to construct six canals on the Indus River to irrigate the Cholistan desert — a project that was rejected by its main ally PPP, and other Sindh nationalist parties.
According to government sources, the estimated cost of the Cholistan canal and system is Rs211.4 billion and through the project, thousands of acres of barren land can be used for agricultural purposes, and 400,000 acres of land can be brought under cultivation.
Almost all political and religious parties, nationalist groups and civil society organisations staged widespread rallies across Sindh against the controversial plan.
The Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari-led party has time and again expressed reservations over the project, with President Asif Ali Zardari cautioning the government that some of its unilateral policies are causing “grave strain” on the federation.
This is a developing story and is being updated with further details
