04 January 2004	Sunday	11 Ziqa'ad 1424

HYDERABAD, Jan 3: Leaders of the Awami Tehrik here on Saturday observed a token hunger strike against the registration of a treason case against 19 party activists for holding a demonstration against Thal canal and Kalabagh dam projects.

Talking to journalists, AT leaders Qadir Ranto, Vishnu Mal, Gul Hassan Kerano, Noor Nabi Rahujo, Ms Nazeer Qureshi and others said NWFP, Balochistan and Sindh assemblies had adopted resolutions against the Kalabagh dam on two occasions, Sindh Assembly had adopted unanimous resolutions against the Thal canal twice and the people of Sindh were also protesting against the water projects.

SWC: The Sindh Water Committee has condemned the registration of a treason case against Awami Tehrik activists in Thatta for holding a protest demonstration against Kalabagh dam and greater Thal canal projects and torching effigies of what it called traitors of the province.

The SWC, at a meeting held here on Friday, observed that the Thal canal was an illegal, unconstitutional and anti-Sindh project against which the Sindh Assembly had adopted resolutions on two occasions.

It regretted that despite the opposition from the Sindh Assembly and the people of the province, the work on the project was continuing.

The meeting said the Sindh chief minister, cabinet and treasury bench members should join the struggle against the project as the resolutions had been neglected.

It also opposed technical and political committees, constituted by the federal government, on the water issue and termed the committee a farce.

It called upon the members from Sindh to disassociate themselves from the committees.

SWC general-secretary Abrar Qazi presided over the meeting.