HYDERABAD, March 14: Activists of different political parties and social welfare organizations staged a march here on Sunday to mark the International Day Against Big Dams.

The day is being commemorated throughout the world on the call of the International Rivers' Network under the slogan of "Rivers For Life". The march, organized by the Sindh National Council, started from the Elsa Kazi campus of the Sindh University and terminated at the press club.

Speaking on the occasion, SNC leader Hussain Bux Thebo claimed that big dams were being demolished and rivers were being freed throughout the world but in Pakistan conspiracies were being hatched to construct more dams on the River Indus.

He said seawater had submerged 1.2 million acres of rich agricultural land in Sindh as no water had been released downstream Kotri. He said the rulers should pay heed to protests by the people of Sindh against construction of more dams on the River Indus.

Another SNC leader, Dr Dodo Maheri, said the people would enlarge the scope of their struggle if Kalabagh dam and greater Thal canal projects were not abandoned.

Sindh Hari Committee president Azhar Jatoi said water was neither a technical nor a political matter but it was purely a human issue. He warned against depriving Sindh of its water share.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Qasim Soomro of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, Samiullah Kalhoro of the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz, Labour Party leader Dost Mohammad Channa, noted short-story writer Ali Baba, Sindhi Adabi Sangat chief Taj Joyo, Ghaffar Malik and Punhal Sario.

RESOLUTIONS: The rally adopted several resolutions, supporting the struggle of the people of Sindh against construction of the Kalabagh dam and Thal canal and demanded the projects should be abandoned. It added economy and ecology of Sindh would be destroyed if the projects were constructed.

It further demanded all projects on the River Indus under the Vision 2025 programme should be abandoned. It condemned the registration of false cases and arrests of activists who were protesting against the disputed water projects.