HYDERABAD: A ‘water conference’ organised by the Sindh Hari Committee has rejected the federal government’s plan of constructing six canals on Indus River.

The conference was held on Wednesday at the local press club to mark the third death anniversary of hari rights activist Comrade Ramzan Khaskheli.

The plan was rejected by committee leader Samar Jatoi, Prof Mushtaq Mirani, Nawaz Khan Zaunr of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Party, Khadim Talpur of the Awami Jamhori Party, Ashiq Solangi of the Sindh Tarraqi-passand Party, Dr Bukhshal Thallu of the Awami Workers Party, PTI leader Faisal Mughal, HRCP coordinator Ghufrana Arain and others.

Stating that the canals were matter of life and death for the people of Sindh, they accused Punjab of usurping all resources of Sindh including gas, coal, water and land. They said Sindh would have to launch a unified struggle on those issues.

They paid tributes to the leaders right from Comrade Hyder Bux Jatoi, Rasool Bux Palijo and Comrade Jam Saqi to Ramzan Khaskheli. They apprehended that in the name of Green Initiative, already irrigated lands would be rendered barren in Sindh.

Describing the canal project over River Indus as dangerous, they said that a new social contract was needed between the federation and federating units.

Through a resolution, the conference rejected the canal project and the allotment of 1.3m acres land in Gorakh Hill and at Haleji Lake. It said that all the projects sponsored by the Special Investment Facilitation Council in Sindh should be shelved.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2025