HYDERABAD: Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) chairman Ayaz Latif Palijo has accused Punjab of “stealing” Sindh’s water resources, claiming the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the provincial government have become “silent spectators” to the crisis.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Mr Palijo demanded an immediate end to what he termed an “artificial water shortage” that was economically devastating local farmers and growers.

Using highly charged rhetoric, the QAT leader compared the actions of Punjab and the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) to those of Israel, declaring: “We will not tolerate robbery on the Indus River.” He warned that “eight crore [80 million] Sindhis” would resist if the upcoming federal budget allocated funds to controversial canals and projects opposed by the province.

Mr Palijo alleged that systematic plans were being made to deprive Sindh of water, threatening the very existence of the Indus River system, which he noted already lacks sufficient water to meet regional requirements. Environmental degradation

The QAT chairman highlighted the severe environmental toll downstream, stating that the failure to release water below the Kotri Barrage had allowed the sea to swallow millions of acres of land across three key districts: Thatta, Sujawal and Badin.

He added that vital mangrove forests in these coastal areas were being rapidly destroyed as a direct consequence of the freshwater depletion.

Mr Palijo also raised concerns over land distribution, warning that millions of acres of Sindh’s territory were being handed over to outsiders under the guise of corporate farming. He claimed this policy risked creating “small states” within the province, effectively turning local areas into “no-go zones” for native Sindhis.

He concluded by asserting that the QAT would continue to play a leading role in campaigns to protect the Indus River.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2026