LARKANA: Activists of federalist and nationalist parties, civil society outfits, trade unions and literary associations staged processions and rallies in several Sindh towns on Sunday in continuation of the ongoing protest against construction of six ‘strategic’ canals on Indus River.

In Naudero, a rally was jointly taken out by Sindh Bachayo Committee and Shahri Action Committee to say ‘no’ to the canals. The protesters gathered at Shahnawaz Chowk where their leaders issued warning in the speeches that the canals might render entire Sindh barren.

The Pakistan Peoples Party’s Naduero chapter held a demonstration outside local press club and demanded the government shelve the plan.

A large number of villagers took out a procession from Balhreji village and walked three kilometers to reach Mohenjo Daro where they demonstrated against the canals.

The leaders criticised Punjab for planning to turn Sindh into a wasteland and warned if the project was executed despite Sindh’s protest, people would retaliate strongly.

Members of Watandost Mazdoor Federation of Pakistan, various associations of the physically challenged persons and estate agencies demonstrated outside local press club, demanding cancellation of the canals project.

The leaders told journalists the canals would ultimately destroy Sindh’s agriculture. People had rejected the project and urged rulers to roll it back, they said.

In Mithi, Thar Sujag Sath staged a march against the canals, which culminated in a sit-in at Kashmir Chowk, where the protesters said the canals would further deplete agricultural resources and accelerate sea intrusion, exacerbating the province’s perennial water crisis.

Leaders of local chapters of nationalist and federalist parties, including Sindh Taraqqi- pasand Party (STP), Sindh United Party (SUP), Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), Awami Tehreek and Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) demanded the government allocate land for Sindh’s farmers, ensure fair distribution of Indus water and immediately scrap the corporate farming project.

They warned that if their demands were not met, they would launch province-wide agitation and block all major highways.

In Dadu, a rally was organised by Dadu Awami Forum against the canals, which culminated at local press club.

The leaders warned the diversion of water could lead to loss of millions of acres of fertile land in Sindh. “The canals project is not just an environmental disaster for Sindh but also a potential threat to the country’s stability and security,” they said.

In Sehwan, a procession was organised by several civil society groups, which began its march from Degree College and culminated at Dhamal Chowk. The protesters’ leaders urged both the federal and provincial governments to urgently convene a meeting of the Council of Common Interests and get the canals project halted.

In Tando Jan Muhammad, Mirpurkhas district, activists of Awami Tehreek staged a rally against the canals, corporate farming, amendments to the Irsa Act and the Green Pakistan Initiative.

The party leaders Noor Ahmad Katiar, Lal Jarwar and others said that people of Sindh would never tolerate robbery on their river.

They alleged that the current government was “selling” the Indus to corporate farming companies and described Special Investment Facilitation Council as “more dangerous than One Unit scheme”.

They demanded immediate cancellation of corporate farming projects, SIFC, the new canals, the Board of Investment Amendment Act 2023, restoration of Sindh’s rightful share of water and closure of all “illegal” canals in Punjab.

Similar rallies and demonstrations were held in Nawabshah, Naushahro Feroze and Sanghar and complete shutdown strike was observed in Padidan.

Activists of JSQM staged a foot march and members of Sindh Sahafi Ittehad, Sindhi Adabi Sangat staged a demonstration outside Naushahro Feroze press club and growers took out a procession in Shahpur Chakar, Sanghar district.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2025