KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party, which holds powerful positions in Centre and runs Sindh government singlehandedly, can get the canals project terminated within a day and reclaim lands given over to corporate farming but it instead it stages political dramas and peddle lies on the issues in assemblies, says Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz chairman Riaz Ali Chandio.

Chandio said in his address to participants in a big rally and sit-in staged in Korangi by his party on Sunday against the canals, the Green Pakistan Initiative, corporate farming, and enforced disappearances that if the PPP withdrew from the central government, the Shehbaz-led administration would not be able to push for canals project for even a single day but the party’s lust for power prevented it from taking that route.

He said that illegal canals on the Indus River would lead to the destruction of Sindhi people.

Punjab had not spared even a single year, month or day over past 77 years that it had not robbed water of the Indus River, he said.

Currently, he said, there was 80 per cent water shortage in Sindh’s three barrages, which could reach 100 per cent.

Villages and settlements were already deprived of drinking water and if the canals were built, millions in Sindh would suffer from extreme water scarcity. The sea would bring devastation and Sindh would face severe environmental and economic crises, he said.

He said that Sindhi people were suffering under the rule of corrupt politicians, dacoits and drug dealers. Today, as the entire Sindh was united with one voice against the occupation of canals, corporate farming and the plundering of mineral resources, the rulers, who had sold Sindh’s resources, were shedding crocodile tears, he said.

The rulers made decisions but pretended to protest against them.

The PPP ruling clique had destroyed Sindh over the past 18 years ruining the economy, healthcare, education and employment while now pretending to protest their own policies, he said.

He stated that despite poverty, people of Sindh had observed Ramazan to seek their Lord’s blessings. Now, it was time for every household to come forward to save the river and the land, he said.

The rally was also addressed by Zameer Haj­ano, Ilahi Bakhsh Chachar, Dr Khushhal Kalani, Pradeep Kalani and others.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2025