KARACHI: While opposing the proposed canals on the Indus River, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday challenged the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to back a resolution the PTI had submitted in the National Assembly (NA) against the project.

“The Peoples Party should prove its loyalty to Sindh, a province it had governed for over 15 years,” said PTI Secretary General Barrister Salman Akram Raja while addressing party leaders during a two-day visit to Karachi.

He was in the city to discuss party affairs, the upcoming by-election in Umerkot and a protest campaign for the release of PTI founder Imran Khan.

He made it clear that his party would ‘never support’ the controversial canals on the Indus River. “We must fight for Sindh’s water,” he said while addressing a convention of the party’s Sindh chapter leadership.

“We have already tabled a resolution in the National Assembly against the plundering of Sindh’s water. It remains to be seen whether the PPP stands with the people of Sindh or opts for an escape.”

Arrives in city ahead of Umerkot by-election, campaign for Imran’s release

He also spoke out against the attempts to ‘incite ethnic divisions’ in Karachi, asserting that the PTI stood for brotherhood and unity.

“We are fighting for Pakistan’s survival and Karachi is the economic hub of the country. Any attempt to inject ethnic hatred here will destabilise the entire nation,” he observed.

Mr Raja emphasised that Imran Khan’s politics was never about power but for uniting the nation, adding and those trying to ‘silence’ his voice were enemies of Pakistan.

“Imran Khan is the guarantee of this country’s progress and prosperity,” he said.

PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh also addressed the meeting and said that the nation stood with Imran Khan and those who were never sincere with the part had already left it.

“Now there are only those who are loyal and ideological part of the PTI; they stand with its founder Imran Khan,” he added. “Now there is no space in the party for those who betrayed Imran Khan. They deserve neither place nor respect.”

He said the PTI had received a massive mandate in Karachi and Hyderabad, which was ‘snatched’ through a conspiracy, but the leadership was now restructuring the party at the grassroots across Sindh, in line with Imran Khan’s vision.

“The by-election in Umerkot will be a game-changer. We are confident that our candidate Lal Chand Malhi will win with a clear majority,” he added.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2025