Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has recently emphasized the necessity of equitable water distribution among Pakistan’s provinces, advocating for adherence to the Water Accord of 1991. He expressed concerns over the federal government’s unilateral decisions to construct new canals from the Indus River without achieving national consensus, underscoring the importance of collaborative decision-making in managing the country’s water resources.
Bilawal highlighted that the Indus River system is Pakistan’s lifeline, and any decisions regarding its management should involve consultation with all provinces. He echoed President Asif Ali Zardari’s caution against unilateral actions on such critical projects, emphasizing the need for national consensus to address growing concerns about water scarcity, climate change, and fair resource allocation.
To address these concerns, Bilawal has called for the matter to be reviewed by the Council of Common Interests (CCI), a constitutional body responsible for resolving disputes among federating units. He stressed that the CCI is the appropriate forum to deliberate on issues of water distribution and that the PPP has consistently advocated for convening its meetings to ensure fair resource allocation.
Furthermore, Bilawal endorsed the Green Pakistan project, which includes plans for new canals, but insisted that such initiatives should not harm any federating units. He proposed alternative solutions like smart irrigation and collective farming to maximize agricultural productivity without compromising equitable water distribution.
In summary, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is advocating for a collaborative approach to water resource management, urging the federal government to engage all provinces in decision-making processes to ensure fair and sustainable distribution of water resources.
