SUKKUR: Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari delivered a strong and defiant message to India, warning that any attempts to undermine Pakistan's rights over the Indus River would meet fierce resistance.

Addressing a large rally in Sukkur, Bilawal declared that the Indus belongs to Pakistan and will remain so, despite New Delhi's unilateral moves. "Let Modi hear this clearly - the Indus is ours, and it will remain ours. Either our water will flow, or their blood will," he warned, standing on the banks of the historic river.

The PPP chairman strongly condemned India's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty following accusations against Pakistan over the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

He accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of levelling "false and baseless" allegations to cover internal failures and mislead the Indian public. "Whenever there is unrest in Kashmir, India blames Pakistan to distract from its own weaknesses," Bilawal asserted.

He emphasised that India's unilateral withdrawal from the Indus Waters Treaty, a binding international agreement, would not be recognised either globally or by the people of Pakistan.

"Modi's efforts to take over the Indus will fail. We are the rightful heirs and defenders of the Sindhu (Indus), and we will protect it at all costs," he said.

Bilawal reaffirmed that Pakistan's armed forces are fully prepared to deliver a strong response to any Indian aggression. "We will confront India bravely, and our forces will give them a fitting reply at the borders," he said.

He urged the people of Pakistan to unite in defending the country's water rights and sovereignty. "All four provinces must stand together to deliver a strong, united response to Modi's provocations," he said, calling on Pakistanis to act as ambassadors of the Indus River and protect their heritage.

"This is a victory for peaceful, democratic struggle," Bilawal added. "We will not allow anyone - inside or outside Pakistan - to steal our water or divide our nation."

No new canals without provincial consensus

Bilawal praised the recent consensus between the PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to block any new canal construction projects without the full consent of all provinces. "It is now a settled policy - no new canals will be built without the approval of all provinces and the public," he declared.

He highlighted that the federal government, responding to public objections, had agreed that any water projects lacking consensus would be returned to the concerned authorities. "Since July, we have raised objections to the proposed canal projects, and we will continue to protect Sindh's water rights," he said.

The PPP chairman also noted that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) would soon meet to formally endorse this policy, ensuring that the rights of all provinces under the 1991 Water Accord and the 2018 Water Policy are respected. He thanked PM Shehbaz for listening to the concerns raised by Sindh and other stakeholders.

Published in The Daily National Courier, April, 26 2025

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