KARACHI: A large number of women activists belonging to the Sindhiani Tehreek staged a rally on Sunday in protest over the federal government’s plan to construct six canals over the Indus, declaring the project against the interests of Sindh.

The participants started their march from Regal Chowk and reached the Karachi Press Club, where they delivered speeches and passed several resolutions.

The rally participants, including children, elders, writers, intellectual, poets, carried banners and placards inscribed with slogans against Cholistan Canal, corporate farming, cutting of Karoonjhar Hills, injustices against womenfolk, rising extremism and increasing incidents of kidnapping for ransom.

Besides Awami Tehreek leaders, rights activist and classical dancer Sheema Kermani, Karachi Bar Association president Amir Nawaz Warraich, Sindhi Adabi Sangat’s Ehsas Meeral, lawyers Masood Noorani, Shahab Usto and others participants in the march.

They asked the Pakistan Peoples Party to explain its position about all these issues as it was ruling the province and an ally of the federal government.

It participants demanded transparent investigations by serving judges of the apex court and international bodies into the theft of Sindh’s share of water.

The rally participants unanimously passed a resolution, asking the authorities to cancel the allotment of Sindh’s over 52,000 acre for corporate farming and instead the land be allotted to small farmers.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindhiani Tehreek leader Sindhu Manganhar said that Sindh’s coastal areas had been adversely affected by sea intrusion because required water was not released downstream Kotri Barrage.

Similarly, she said, Umerkot, Sanghar and other areas of the province were facing an acute shortage of water. She said under such circumstances, giving lands for corporate farming was tantamount to the ‘economic murder’ of the people of Sindh.

Awami Tehreek president Vasand Thari said on the occasion that Green the Indus River was the only source of agriculture and drinking water for the people of Sindh and they would not accept its ‘sale’ in the name of corporate farming and construction of Cholistan Canal.

After speeches, the participants of the rally dispersed peacefully.

A heavy contingent of police was deployed on all roads leading to the press club. However, no untoward incident took place.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2024