ISLAMABAD: The opposition leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan on Sunday alleged that President Asif Ali Zardari sold off Sindh’s water rights in a meeting on July 8, 2024.
“In that Green Initiative meeting at the President’s House, Zardari ‘sold’ Sindh’s water,” Ayub alleged, adding that minutes of the meeting had now gone viral on social media, and that government ministers had confirmed the agreement.
Speaking at the Pakistan Stability Conference organised by Majlis-e-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM), he accused the National Assembly Secretariat of removing a resolution submitted by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) calling for a debate on a controversial canal project on the River Indus. He alleged that the resolution, which was submitted by the party on April 12, had been deliberately expunged from the Secretariat’s record.
He criticised the federal government over economic issues, saying that despite a global decrease in petrol prices, the government had failed to pass on relief to the masses. He alleged that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was withholding relief under the pretext of infrastructure development in Balochistan, despite having Rs900 billion in existing funds. “The public is suffering from high inflation while the rulers continue with their extravagance,” he said, adding that the common man is struggling to make both ends meet.
Referring to the recent hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan, Ayub described it as a “gross intelligence failure,” claiming the establishment was focusing on “political engineering” instead of national security.
Ayub congratulated Raja Nasir Abbas on his re-election as the head of MWM, a PTI ally, claiming there had been pressure from the “djinns” to block his election. Despite the pressure, we succeeded, and Raja has been elected during a time when strong leadership is needed, he added.
Ayub condemned the continued incarceration of PTI leaders and supporters, claiming that they were facing politically motivated charges. He also criticised the arrest of PTI’s Punjab organizer Aalia Hamza. He warned the Inspector General of Punjab Police, saying that accountability would follow if PTI returns to power.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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