Karachi Bar Association President Aamir Nawaz Warraich was left bloodied on Tuesday after an attack by six individuals, whom he accused of targeting him over his stance on the canals issue, a position he vowed he would not back down from.

Part of the Green Pakistan Initiative, the Cholistan canals project aims to irrigate a total of 4.8 million acres (1.9 million hectares) of barren land by constructing six canals — two each in Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab. Five of these canals will be built on the Indus River, while the sixth will constructed along the Sutlej River, supplying approximately 4,120 cusecs of water to irrigate the Cholistan desert in Punjab.

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. What is being hailed as a game-changer for Punjab has triggered an uproar in Sindh, which believes that the scheme will further disturb the ecological balance in the province and deprive it of its mandated water share. The Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the construction of six new canals on the Indus River in March.

The KBA has also been one of the bar associations foremost in opposing the project.

In a video message issued today, Warraich said: “A murderous attack was carried out against me by six people. I want to give the message that we will not abandon the six canals issue and they’ll have to shut them down.”

He said a lawyers’ convention was scheduled for April 12 and would go ahead as planned. Warraich said he would not be filing a first information report for the incident.

The KBA president also threatened to shut the border between Sindh and Punjab if the decision for the canal project was not revoked within 72 hours.

South Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.com that Warraich and other lawyers tended to meet at Cafe Bogey on II Chundrigar Road on a daily basis. He said they were sitting there when the incident took place.

The DIG said no deadly weapon was used in the incident nor any firing had occurred. He said it appeared to be a case of a scuffle which resulted in injuries. He said the police were collecting CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts to ascertain the exact circumstances.

KBA General Secretary Ghulam Rehman Korai said Warraich was taken to Civil Hospital for treatment. Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said he had received multiple injuries on the face, chest and feet.

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar took notice of the incident and directed the police to provide details of their initial action regarding the incident.

“The elements involved in the attack should be brought to justice. Take the legal community into confidence and proceed with the investigation.

“Make the investigation effective and fruitful based on the evidence available at the crime scene,” the minister ordered.

PTI Sindh President Haleem Adil Sheikh condemned the attack as a “cowardly act”.

“Aamir Nawaz Warraich has made great sacrifices for the restoration of the rule of law and the Constitution,” he said, adding that the culprits should be immediately arrested.

“The ongoing movement against the rule of law and new canals cannot be stopped by cowardly acts,” Sheikh was quoted as saying in a statement.