KARACHI: A gathering of political and nationalist parties, intellectuals, writers and civil society organisations of Sindh on Wednesday vehemently opposed the construction of any dam, barrage or link canal on the Indus River.

Sindh United Party (SUP) president Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah chaired the meeting which was held at the secretariat of his party — Haider Manzil.

Mr Shah, who was elected convener of the committee, told the media after the meeting that they have formed Sindh Action Committee (SAC) to launch a joint struggle against construction of any dam on the Indus.

As a first step, a three-day hunger-strike camp would be organised outside the Karachi Press Club on Sept 28, 29 and 30 under the banner of Awami Tehreek.

He further said the Sindh Progressive Committee would hold an all-parties conference in Hyderabad on Sunday while Jeay Sindh Mahaz (Riaz) will stage a sit-in on Oct 7. The Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (Bashir Qureshi group) will organise a protest in Larkana on Oct 11.

After that, a meeting of all chiefs of the parties associated with the SAC would be held to chalk out the next phase of struggle.

Mr Shah said that the participants of the meeting were of the view that the chief justice of Pakistan should not let a dam be built on the Indus.

“At least 10 million acre feet of water [should] be released downstream Kotri Barrage to save the Sindh delta land and the federal government should create a special fund to revive Indus delta and provide relief to the affected citizens.

“Thal canal, Taunsa, Panjnad and Chashma-Jhelum link canal be closed permanently,” he maintained The SUP president added that Burmese, Bengalis, Afghans and people of other origins be issued alien registration cards and be restricted to camps.

“Such aliens are against national unity and they directly affect jobs and resources in Sindh, and create law and order problems.

“The government should take measures for their repatriation and the people coming from other provinces be issued work permits,” he said.

The meeting also observed that the federal government which came to power through “rigged polls” should not benefit only one province by depriving others.

He said a dam cost $14 billion while collection of such a huge amount through donations was almost impossible.

When his attention was drawn towards the use of Article 6 of the Constitution against the opponents of dams, Jalal Mehmood Shah said no one was afraid of going to jail in Sindh to protect its interest.

In reply to a question, Yusuf Masti Khan of the Awami Workers Party said that according to a UN report prepared by international hydrological experts, small dams should be encouraged instead of big ones.

Others who were present in the meeting were: Sanaan Qureshi (JSQM), Amanullah Shaikh (AJP), Riaz Chandio (JSM), Dr Mir Alam Marri (JSQM-Arisar), Maulana Azizullah Bohio (Sindh Sagar Party), Sobh Qamar Bhatti (JSQAP), Sartaj Chandio (Awami Tehreek), Ali Nawaz Butt (JSM), Fatah Channa (JST), Nawaz Khan Zounr (JS Liberal Front), Hashim Khosa (JSM), Khuda Dino Shah (social worker), Noor Ahmad Memon (Sindh Writers Thinkers Forum), Gul Hasan Kalmati (writer), Usman Baloch, Dr Niaz Kalani, Roshan Burro and Ejaz Samito.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2018