SUKKUR: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari delivered a strong message to India during a rally in Sukkur, warning against its recent rhetoric and actions surrounding the Pahalgam incident and the Indus Waters Treaty.
In a passionate address, the former Foreign Minister criticised the Indian government for levelling baseless allegations against Pakistan in the aftermath of what he described as a “false flag” operation in Pahalgam. Bilawal accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of using such tactics to distract from internal failures.
“According to the Indus Waters Treaty, even India acknowledges that the Indus River belongs to Pakistan,” Bilawal said. “They cannot unilaterally walk away from this agreement. We are the guardians of this river and will defend it at any cost. Our armed forces are prepared to respond decisively at the borders.”
Issuing one of his strongest warnings to date, Bilawal declared, “The Indus is ours, and it shall remain ours. Either our water will flow through it, or your blood.”
He further alleged that India had launched yet another attack on Pakistan’s water rights and urged every citizen to act as an ambassador for the Indus River, rejecting what he called Indian aggression. He stressed that all four provinces of Pakistan stood united in rejecting New Delhi’s tactics and vowed to continue the struggle until India reverses its decision regarding the water treaty.
Bilawal also reaffirmed the PPP’s support for the federal government’s stance and pledged that his party would stand shoulder to shoulder with the Prime Minister in protecting national interests.
He announced that PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had reached a consensus that no new canals would be built on the Indus without mutual agreement. “The federal government has accepted that no irrigation project will move forward without PPP’s approval — this is a major win for our supporters,” he added.
Bilawal revealed that a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has been scheduled for May 2, where any unapproved irrigation schemes will be blocked. “We will terminate any plans for new canals on the Indus at that meeting,” he concluded.
