KARACHI / HYDE­RABAD / NAWABSHAH: The Sindh chapter of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday held a train march from Karachi to Daharki to thank and congratulate the legal fraternity and people of Sindh over success of their struggle against six controversial canals.

The sustained weeks-long struggle launch by Sindh United Party’s leadership under the title ‘Save Indus River Movement (SIRM) forced the federal government to get the project postponed through the Council of Common Interests (CCI). The movement was actively supported by almost all mainstream opposition parties and Sindhi nationalist groups.

The PTI train march titled ‘Salam Sindh Train March’ was led by the party’s Sindh President Haleem Adil Shaikh. Its provincial General Secretary Dr Masroor Sial, Karachi President Raja Azhar and General Secretary Arsalan Khalid, besides MPAs Rehan Bandukda and Wajid Hussain, were accompanying him.

The journey, spanning over 30 cities in Sindh, culminated in a public meeting at Daharki in Ghotki district.

Haleem salutes legal fraternity, people of Sindh for success of movement against controversial canals

The marchers were warmly welcomed by jubilant activists and supporters of PTI and other political, religious and nationalist parties upon the train’s arrival at every station along its route.

Haleem Shaikh briefly spoke to the marchers at Karachi’s Cantonment station before the train set off to Hyderabad. He expressed his gratitude to each and every citizen who took part in the rallies and demonstrations against the canals project.

He strongly criticised Pakistan Peoples Party’s top leadership for giving its tacit approval to the project and federal government’s other initiatives which were bound to undermine Sindh’s interests.

He said that the PPP leadership actually attempted to let the federal government snatch away Sindh’s water and render its lands barren. He described the six canals project as a threat to the survival of 60m people of Sindh.

He said: “Sindh’s agricultural vitality is crucial for Pakistan’s economy and, therefore, any new canal meant to be fed through the Indus at the cost of Sindh’s farm sector cannot be allowed”.

Haleem also criticised the incumbent federal dispensation for undermining civil liberties and the judiciary.

He condemned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent action of suspending the Indus Water Treaty and described it as ‘water terrorism’.

Speaking to those who welcomed the marchers at different stations, Haleem Shaikh said that the train march was a gesture of respect to lawyers, youth, traders, students, women, labourers, journalists and civil society activists who opposed the canals project.

He said the project was a matter of life and death for Sindh’s people. “If Sindh’s agriculture is destroyed, Pakistan’s economy will weaken; we will not allow even a single new canal to draw water from the Indus,” he said.

He slammed the incumbent ‘fascist regime’ at the Centre for curbing civil liberties, weakening the judiciary through the 26th constitutional amendment and stifling free speech by enforcing the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Peca).

Dr Masroor Sial said the march symbolised unity and tribute to collective awareness. He noted that public protests had succeeded in forcing the federal authorities to suspend the canals project.

Raja Azhar said that the Salam Sindh Train March was a mission to save Sindh and salute its people’s consciousness.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2025