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PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Wednesday vowed to address resettlement concerns of those affected by the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam on an “immediate basis” if his party emerges victorious in the June 7 polls.
Bilawal made the declaration while addressing a rally in Diamer, as the PPP and other political parties have, over the past few days, ramped up efforts to garner support ahead of the polls.
Addressing the rally, the Bhutto scion asserted that the project saw “great progress” during the PPP’s tenure. He added that had President Asif Ali Zardari’s government not been removed in 2013, the Diamer-Bhasha Dam would have been built by now.
The PPP chairman lamented that it was “unfortunate” that affected citizens of the region had not had their resettlement issues addressed.
“I would like to promise you that after June 7 — when PPP forms government in GB — we will ensure that the work is [completed] and as far as resettlement is concerned, we will address it on an immediate basis,” Bilawal said.
He urged the Centre to prioritise the construction of the dam. “This is not only the right of the people of Diamer, but it is a necessity for Pakistan,” the PPP chairman said.
“No project is more important for Pakistan at the moment than the Diamer-Bhasha Dam,” Bilawal emphasised, calling on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to expedite work on the project.
“We have heard of your ‘Shehbaz speed’ in Lahore [..] please show your ‘Shehbaz speed’ to the people of Diamer as well and ensure that the project is completed,” Bilawal quipped.
In April, the Diamer-Bhasha Dam land-affected committee, under the ‘Huqooq Do, Dam Banao’ (ensure rights, build the dam) movement, staged a sit-in in the Chilas and Thore areas of Diamer that lasted several days, over the non-implementation of a 2025 agreement on compensation for those affected by the construction of the dam, among other demands.
Bilawal claimed that PPP was the “sole political party which was looking out for the interest of the people of GB and had the people’s faith”.
“On June 7, the people of GB will demonstrate their power and elect a jiyala chief minister,” Bilawal said.
Outlining PPP’s contributions towards the region, Bilawal recalled that it was his father, President Zardari, who “gave GB its current identity as the region was referred to as Northern Areas before”.
Taking note of the regional crisis, Bilawal stressed that Pakistan needed a government “like PPP who can look the world in the eye”, adding that they were only able to do so as the party was the “true representative of the Pakistani people”.
He called on the people of GB to “struggle against these difficult times and ensure the formation of a PPP government in the region”. At this, Bilawal also voiced optimism that the country will see similar results in the next general elections.
The PPP chairman reiterated his support for “securing GB’s constitutional rights,” stressing that Islamabad must understand that “Pakistan can only prosper if the people of GB prosper”.
He vowed that with the party’s public-private partnership initiatives, “not only will you fulfil your own energy requirements but also sell it to the rest of the country”.
“I am not here to air any grievances; it is not in our nature. Why was the Quaid-i-Awam (former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto) hanged or why my mother (former prime minister Benazir Bhutto) was martyred [..] have you ever heard me complain? or why was my father was imprisoned for 14 years [..] we are not the kind to complain; we only know how to take back our rights. So support me, and I will not disappoint you,” Bilawal told the rally.
The PPP chairman also took a jibe at the ruling ally PML-N, wondering why the “rest of the political parties campaigning in GB looked so worried”.
“Throwing money at things might work in Lahore, but not in GB; the people here are honourable and cannot be bought,” he quipped.
“Many political parties make claims that they have carried out considerable development work in their provinces; I would like to tell you that whatever you have been able to do was because of President Zardari”.
He recalled that President Zardari was responsible for the 18th Amendment, which enabled greater provincial development.
“If they were able to build metros or run trains in any city, it was because of the 18th Amendment and the NFC Award, which enabled provinces to secure the resources needed for such development projects,” Bilawal said.
First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari also addressed an election rally in the region, calling on people to support the PPP and stressing that the party’s electoral symbol, the arrow, was “a symbol of rights, betterment, power and hope for the poor, and the identity of democracy”.
Expressing support for her brother’s vision, Aseefa said a PPP-led government would create opportunities for the youth, including quality educational institutions, IT parks, improved internet connectivity and employment.
“We want every youth of GB to see a bright future, for everyone to have access to healthcare, and for every child to be educated,” she said.
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