JHELUM: Miss Fatima Jinnah said today [Nov 19] that West Pakistan might turn barren in 50 years as a result of water treaty entered into by President Ayub Khan with India. Addressing a big public meeting at the Jubilee Ghat here on the bank of river Jhelum, Miss Jinnah asked with whose consent the President had “sold away” the interest of the coming generations for a sum of a few crores. She said the bunds being built as alternative arrangements under the water treaty, would choke with silt in 50 years. With river water diverted, West Pakistan would run dry, she said.

She challenged President Ayub to hold as big meetings as she had held without using executive machinery, Police and the Press. In her fight for democracy she depended only on the support of the people, she added. She congratulated the people of Jhelum for electing such representatives who had overwhelmingly pledged to support her. Earlier, she met the newly elected members of the Electoral College. Referring to the martial background of the people of the area, Miss Jinnah told her audience that they had fought battles all over the world and urged them to support COP in its mission of “restoration of democracy” in the country.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2014