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| September 5, 2005 | Monday | Rajab 30, 1426 |
Demonstrations against Kalabagh dam, greater Thal canal
HYDERABAD, Sept 4: A large number of writers, intellectuals, professors and political activists under the banner of Sindhi Adabi Sangat held a demonstration outside the press club here on Sunday in protest against construction of the Kalabagh dam and the greater Thal canal.
Prof Taj Joyo and others spoke on the occasion and condemned proposed construction of the two projects in Punjab.
Later, the Sindhi Adabi Sangat issued a statement which said the Kalabagh dam was a 150-year-old dream of Punjab which it wanted to make real now.
It said the Sindhi nation was exponent of peace, love and believed in international harmony but it would never allow plunder of Sindh waters after sell-out of Punjab waters to India.
It said politicians, engineers, experts and writers of Sindh had opposed the two projects at every forum but their counterparts in Punjab have failed to convince the people about the repercussions of more water projects on Sindh.
It said the rulers had always been harping on tune of consensus to construct the projects though they had been rejected by Sindhi, Balochi and Pakhtun nations and their assemblies.
The Sindhi Adabi Sangat criticized the role of Sindhi feudal lords, ministers and so-called spiritual leaders for betraying the cause of Sindh just for the sake of power.
The writers warned the rulers not to underestimate power of writers and intellectuals of Sindh who had played significant role in movements against the One Unit and dictatorships.
The Sindhi Adabi Sangat demanded that the A.N.G Abbasi technical report be made public.
It said neither water nor money was available for the two projects and even international agencies were not prepared to waste money on such controversial projects.
The Sindhi writers appealed to the United Nations, World Bank, European Union, OIC, SAARC and peace-loving countries to take notice of dam construction for Punjab at the cost of Sindh.
They said the issue was a matter of life and death for people of Sindh and donors agencies must not advance any financial assistance for the two projects.
Our Khairpur correspondent reports: Members of the Sindhi Adabi Sangat, district and city chapters, took out a procession here on Sunday in protest against construction of the Kalabagh dam.
They started marching from the sessions court road and after passing through main roads ended at the Phool Bagh.
Hubdar Jagirani, Jairam and Ibrahim Kharal led the protesters.
Many poets and writers participated in the rally.
The protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribing with anti-Kalabagh dam slogans.
They held protest demonstrations outside the Khairpur Press Club and the National Press Club.
Our Shikarpur correspondent reports: On the call of central leaders, members of the Sindhi Adabi Sangat held a demonstration here on Sunday in protest against construction of the Kalabagh dam and greater Thal canal.
Speaking on the occasion, Naseem Shah Bukhari and Hameer Chandio demanded that proposal of Kalabagh dam and greater Thal canal be abandoned.
They termed the two projects anti-Sindh and said vested interest wanted to destroy the agriculture sector of Sindh.
Our Jacobabad correspondent reports: A procession was taken out by the Sindhi Adabi Sangat, district chapter, in protest against proposed construction of the Kalabagh dam and greater Thal canal.
The protesters were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans against the two projects.
They marched through the main thoroughfares and culminated at the press club.
Sikandar Bakhtiar, Ali Mohammad Lashari, Intezar Chhalgari led the protesters.
The protesters raised slogans against proposed construction of Kalabagh dam and greater Thal canal.
They termed construction of Kalabagh dam and Greater Thal canal as anti-Sindh.
They demanded that the two projects be shelved forever.
Our Dadu correspondent reports: Members of the Sindhi Adabi Sangat and workers of social organizations held a rally in Mehar town on Sunday to protest against construction of Kalabagh dam and greater Thal canal.
The provincial press secretary of the organization, Anwar Azad Kandhro, led the protesters.
The Sindhi Adabi Sangat members also held a rally in Dadu to protest against construction of Kalabagh dam and greater Thal canal.
Dr Qurban Ali and Wazir Mangi led the protesters.
PLEA: The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture has demanded that the government should fix minimum price of sugarcane at Rs60 per 40kg.
The meeting of the chamber held here on Sunday demanded that sugar mills of Sindh be directed to commence the crushing season in the first week of October.
Syed Qamaruzzaman Shah presided over the meeting.
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