HYDERABAD, Aug 28: Sindh Water Committee (SWC) president Rasool Bux Palijo has criticized Wapda for its announcement that the construction of the greater Thal canal will continue and that the project will be completed before time.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Palijo termed the announcement terrorism against Sindh.

He said this was being done in disregard of the opposition by the people of Sindh.

Palijo, who is also the president of the Awami Tehrik, said this announcement by Wapda was against norms of democracy, federalism and humanity.

He said the present rulers had broken all previous records of highhandedness and plunder of Sindh resources.

The rulers have far exceeded Gen Ayub Khan, Gen Yahya Khan, Gen Ziaul Haq and Nawaz Sharif in their contempt to usurp the rights of the people of the province, he said.

Palijo pointed out the people of Sindh considered the greater Thal canal as an illegal, unconstitutional and immoral project, thrust upon them through fraud and highhandedness.

He said the decision to construct the canal was taken unilaterally to irrigate a desert for the benefit of a few generals at a time when the people of Sindh were facing starvation and unemployment due to the artificial shortage of irrigation water, resulting in the collapse of their agricultural economy.

Palijo said the rulers did not realize they were treating Sindh and its people with the same callousness and insensitivity that was shown to the people of East Pakistan 30 years back.

He said the people of the province would not accept the construction of the Thal canal and usurpation of their resources and added that the rulers could not suppress the protest of the people by force.

He said the people would not allow any government in Sindh elected after October 10 to function unless it forced the centre to cancel the illegal greater Thal canal. He warned that rulers who were trying to make Sindh barren would face people’s wrath.