The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday staged a sit-in outside the Karachi Press Club and led a rally to Empress Market against the proposed construction of six new canals on the Indus River.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir inaugurated the ambitious Cholistan project to irrigate south Punjab’s lands on February 15 amid public uproar and strong reservations in Sindh.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the construction of six new canals on the Indus River in March, demanding an immediate halt to any plans, activities or work until an agreement was reached with all provincial governments.

Addressing the protest on Sunday, Functional League Sindh General Secretary and GDA Information Secretary Sardar Abdul Rahim said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has “always relied on falsehoods and deception”.

“The entire province of Sindh, from Karachi to Kashmore, is protesting against the canal project, and unrest has spread throughout the region,” he said. “Those who have bartered Sindh’s interests have become a curse in the eyes of the people.”

He called upon the people of Karachi to rise up against the illegal extraction of water from the Indus River through these canals, warning that “Karachi receives 85 per cent of its water from the river and that without downstream flow, water supply to the city would become impossible”.

“International organisations are also warning that Sindh’s water resources are drying up,” Rahim said. “Urdu and other language-speaking residents of Karachi must unite with their Sindhi brethren to save the Indus River.

“We are deeply concerned. Karachi will be severely affected,” he added. “The slogan ‘No Canals, No Copies’ should echo from Karachi. If Karachi rises, the entire country will awaken.”

Criticising PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, he said, “Those who dreamt of making him prime minister saw on April 4 in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh that he cannot even secure the Chief Minister’s seat.”

He added, “Bilawal claims to be from Mohenjo Daro, yet the funds provided by Unicef for its preservation were also embezzled. These people failed to develop Gorakh Hill, failed in education, and failed to provide healthcare.”

Addressing a rally in Garhi Khuda Bakhsh on Friday, Bilawal had said that he was the first to raise his voice against the canal project, adding that the party expressed frustration with the federal government at its central executive committee meeting in January.

“I said that we would not allow this project to happen … the PPP said that it did not support this unilateral decision,” Bilawal had said. “Even the President of Pakistan said in a joint address before the Senate that he stands against the government’s unilateral decisions, as they bring harm to the federation.”

PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh said, “It’s not just prisoner number 804 (party founder Imran Khan) who is in captivity — we all are.”

“Sindh has awakened against the canal project,” he added.

Sheikh accused President Asif Ali Zardari of “taking it upon himself to construct the canals”, adding, “Due to the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the judiciary has become controversial. The most powerful position in the federal government is held by Zardari.”

Karachi Bar Council President Aamir Nawaz Warraich stated, “We have passed a resolution against the illegal canals being constructed on the Indus River. These canals are completely unlawful.

“If Pakistan is to be saved, this canal project must be scrapped. Otherwise, the stability of the country will be at risk. The legal community’s protest will continue across Sindh until the notification is withdrawn.”

Barrister Arshad Shar Baloch, Convener of the Functional League Karachi Zone Coordination Committee, said, “The lifeline of Sindh is being snatched away. The approval for these canals on the Indus River was given by Zardari, and now the PPP is shedding crocodile tears.”