LARKANA, July 6: Vehicular traffic on the Indus Highway near Nasirabad came to a standstill for two hours on Friday when hundreds of growers, protesting over water shortage, blocked the road.

The protestors were raising slogans against the irrigation officials for allegedly demanding bribe to release water into the waterway called “24-26 minor” which supplies water to around 12,000 acres of land in six dehs.

They were carrying placards, banners and dried up paddy plants. DSP, Warah, Ghulam Sarwar Bhayo, and SHO, Nasirabad, Khan Mohammed Tunio, arrived at the scene and asked the protesters to clear the highway.

The protestors allowed vehicular traffic to move by lifting the blockade. Meanwhile, around 300 people, including the Nazims and Naib Nazims of Shahdadkot taluka council, observed a token hunger strike on Friday, demanding early release of water into Saifullah and Shahdadkot canals.

The councillors and members of the chamber of commerce and industry and other associations also joined the hunger strike.

Larkana District Nazim Khursheed Junejo visited the hunger strike camp and assured the protesters of early release of irrigation water into the waterways. He appealed them to defer their protest for three days.

The protesting Nazims were Sardar Ali Jarwar, Aijaz Brohi, Mohammed Ibrahim Selro, Abdul Sattar Shaikh, Taj Mohammed Baloch, Wajid Ali Chandio, Hazar Khan Jamali and Mohammed Ibrahim Khoso.

PPP: The provincial chief of Pakistan People’s Party, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, has said that Governor, Mohammedmian Soomro is inducting ministers into cabinet while President Musharraf has recently relieved a minister of his duty to let the latter contest polls.