DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Farmers have protested the prolonged suspension of irrigation water to the A-18 and A-19 distributaries from the Chashma Right Bank Canal (CRBC), claiming that the shortage has put their standing crops at risk and could result in heavy financial losses.

According to protesting farmers, the two distributaries have remained without water for the past two months, severely affecting agricultural activities in the area. The farmers alleged that illegal water outlets along the canal were depriving downstream areas of their allocated share of irrigation water. They demanded that the irrigation department remove the alleged illegal outlets and restore a fair supply of water.

They said crops had already been treated with fertilisers and pesticides worth millions of rupees, but the continued absence of irrigation water threatened to destroy the standing crops and render their investment futile.

The farmers urged the district administration, the deputy commissioner and the irrigation department to immediately restore water supply to the affected distributaries.

They warned that if the issue was not resolved without delay, they would be compelled to launch protests, block roads and stage sit-ins to press for their demands.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2026