HYDERABAD, June 16: A large number of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz activists, including women, continued their token hunger strike outside the press club here on the 7th consecutive day, Sunday completing the first phase of the JSQM struggle against the acute water shortage in Sindh, construction of greater Thal canal and the imprisonment of the party chairman, Bashir Khan Qureshi, vice chairman Niaz Kalani and other party activists.

At the end of the hunger strike, the activists staged a rally which was addressed by the acting chairman, Shafi Muhammad Karnani and other leaders, including Shabbir Jamali, Dr Zulfiqar Ali Panhwar, Akbar Jagirani and Sikandar Soomro.

They said that 45 million people of the province had rejected Kalabagh dam, greater Thal canal and other anti-Sindh projects but the ‘imperialist’ Punjab was adamant in going ahead with all these projects.

They warned of disastrous consequences if the construction of greater Thal canal was not stopped and Bashir Qureshi was not released.

In the second phase of the struggle, the JSQM leaders said, sit-in would be held at all the divisional headquarters. On July 7, they added, a big sit-in would be staged at Shaikh Zaid Chowk, Larkana, and all roads leading to Punjab would be blocked.

PPP-SB: Activists of the PPP, SPSF and SPY (SB) observed ‘black day’ here on Sunday to protest against the arrest of party leaders, Ali Ahmed Palepoto and Abdul Majeed Siyal.