HYDERABAD: A massive rally was held on Thursday by leaders, activists, and supporters of various nationalist parties, along with members of growers’ associations, legal fraternities, business groups, and civil society organizations, to oppose the federal government’s plan to dig six new canals to be fed by the Indus River.
The rally began at the Gymkhana Club and culminated in a sit-in outside the local press club. It was led by Sindh United Party (SUP) leader Syed Zain Shah and Sindh Abadgar Board leader Haji Mohammad Umer Bughio. Participants carried banners and placards with slogans against “anti-Sindh” projects, raising their voices in protest as they marched along the Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas road.
“A Conspiracy to Render Sindh Barren”
Addressing the gathering, SUP leader Syed Zain Shah termed the canal project a “deep conspiracy” aimed at rendering Sindh’s agricultural lands barren and depriving its people of basic necessities like drinking water.
“This project threatens to destroy Karachi, the industrial hub of the country, and Hyderabad, Sindh’s second-largest city, by crippling them economically,” Shah warned.
He announced plans for a large-scale protest campaign across Sindh to pressure the federal government into shelving the project permanently. He warned that if the government proceeded, Sindhi people would block highways leading to Punjab.
Unanimous Rejection of the Project
The SUP leader emphasized that all political, nationalist, and civil society organizations, as well as legal, business, and trade communities, had unanimously rejected the canal plan. “A joint struggle is underway, and we will intensify it if the government insists on moving forward with this project,” he declared.
Sindh, already grappling with a severe water shortage, has seen worsening conditions in regions like Mirpurkhas and the Larr area due to a lack of downstream flows from Kotri Barrage. Shah warned that the canal project would exacerbate these issues, forcing mass migration from Sindh to other provinces.
Speakers Highlight Dire Consequences
Other speakers at the protest, including Haji Mohammad Umer Bughio, Mehmood Nawaz Shah, and Zahid Bhurgari, echoed these sentiments. They warned that the proposed canals would lead to economic devastation, water scarcity, and environmental degradation in Sindh.
Leaders like Lala Azhar Pathan, Sarfaraz Junejo, and Zulfikar Yousfani also highlighted the plight of Sindh’s agricultural sector, which has been struggling due to dwindling water supplies.
The protest concluded with a vow to resist the canal project “tooth and nail” and to protect Sindh’s resources and future.
