HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has finalised the preparations for its Friday (April 18) public meeting in Hatri Bypass ground which will be addressed by party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, besides other senior leaders.

Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon visited the venue, where 70,000 chairs have been put up, according to a statement issued by the party. Irrigation minister Jam Khan Shoro, DIG Tariq Dharejo, SSP Adeel Siddiqui and others were also present, it said.

A 100ft-wide stage has been set up and decorated with party flags, coulourful buntings and lights. There are separate entrances for men and women.

Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, CM`s Special Assistant Abdul Jabbar Khan, Hyderabad Mayor Kashif Shoro and several PPP lawmakers visited the venue over the last few days to review the arrangements.

Proceedings of the public meeting are expected to start after sunset, considering the hot weather conditions persisting in the city, as well as other parts of Sindh, for many days. On Thursday, the meteorological department recorded the maximum temperature in the city at 44 degree Celsius.

As part of public mobilising activitiesfor the show, PPP`s Sindh Information Secretary Aajiz Dhamra led a motorbike rally on Thursday evening. The participants, raising slogans, passed through various roads and streets in the city before culminating the rally at City gate, where Dhamra spoke to them.

He said that the April 18 show would not be just a political gathering, but a referendum against six controversial canals, especially the Cholistan canal.

`Millions of people will attend the Friday public meeting,` he confidently said, and added that Bilawal BhuttoZardari would explain and reiterate PPP`s clear stance on the six canals project.

He said that the PPP had in the past opposed the Kalabagh Dam and succeeded in preventing the federation from building it.

Khuhro asks Irsa chief to resign over opening of T-P link canal Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh`s president, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, has termed opening of Taunsa-Panjnand link canal as unconstitutional and demanded Irsa chairman step down for his failure to act.

He advised federal and Punjab governments to restrain from issuing statements on canals projects as it would drive wedge between people of the two provinces.

In a press statement issued here onThursday, Khuhro proposed appointment of Irsa chairman and federal member from Sindh province. It was unconstitutional to release water into TaunsaPanjnand and Chashma-Jhelum link canals, which were `flood canals`, he said.

It spoke volumes for Irsa chief`s inefficiency and failure, therefore he should admit his failure and resign from the office, he said.

He said that opening T-P link canal would be tantamount to `water robbery` at a time when Sindh faced 65 per cent water shortages. Sindh would not allow anyone to rob away its water, he said.

He urged the prime minister to ensure immediate closure of the T-P link canal and warned if `unilateral` decision on canals was not withdrawn PPP would not delay parting ways with the federal government.

He asked the PML-N government to realise the gravity of the situation and immediately announce shelving the decision on canals. PPP and people of Sindh would not accept the canals project, he said.

Calling the canals project a conspiracy against Pakistan he said not only people of Sindh but also of Cholistan were opposing the canals.

He was critical of Punjab chief minister`s undemocratic step of inaugurating `unapproved` model of Cholistan Canal. `We will not sit idle over canalsissue and will resist it,` he said.

He said that his party would launch a campaign against the canals as it had waged a drive against Kalabagh Dam in past. The federal and Punjab governments` claim of not taking water from Indus for the controversial canals, was illogical, he said.

He asked where water would come for the new canals when there was no surplus water available in the system.

Is there any logic in rendering thousands of acres of fertile land of Sindh infertile and cultivate barren land in another province, he asked. `We reject Irsa`s NOC issued during the caretakers` days on Jan 25, 2024, regarding the surplus water as it was an unconstitutional certificate,` he said.

Khuhro feared that by opening the link canals water would be released into Cholistan Canal through Sulemanki headworks but was confident that PPP and the people of Sindh would foil this conspiracy.

He demanded the prime minister direct the Irsa to ensure judicious water distribution in accordance with the 1991`s water apportionment accord. In past, Nawaz Sharif had to reverse his decision on Kalabagh Dam and now Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would be forced to roll back the canals project, he said, adding PPP was planning to hold public meetings on divisional level againstthe controversialproject.