Sindh protests surge against Indus canal project
Several rallies and processions were held across Pakistan’s Sindh province on Monday, protesting the federal government’s canal project on the Indus River. Activists, political party members, civil society groups, trade unions, and literary associations have united in opposing the construction of six new canals on the river, local media reported.
The Sindh Bachayo Committee and Shahri Action Committee organized a joint rally in Naudero town, warning that the project could render Sindh barren. Villagers from Balhreji village marched to Mohenjo Daro, where they staged a demonstration against the project.
Leaders of nationalist and federalist parties called on the government to allocate land for Sindh’s farmers, ensure fair distribution of Indus water, and immediately cancel the corporate farming project. They warned of provincewide agitation and highway blockades if their demands were not met.
Protesters argued that the diversion of water could lead to the loss of millions of acres of fertile land in Sindh.
“The canal project is not just an environmental disaster for Sindh but also a potential threat to the country’s stability and security,” reported Dawn, a leading Pakistani daily.
The Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Naudero chapter held a demonstration outside the local press club on Sunday, demanding that the government abandon the plan. The PPP Sindh Council, a coalition partner of the ruling federal government, has rejected the Centre’s plan to build six canals on the Indus River, warning that Sindh will not accept any new canal project.
Last week, the Save Indus River Movement (SIRM) rejected Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari’s support for the canal projects and announced provincewide protests. SIRM leaders criticized Zardari for allegedly approving the projects and demanded that the PPP withdraw from the federal government.
Protesters have been chanting slogans like “let the water flow,” condemning the canal project as an “anti-people policy” and a violation of Sindh’s rights.
