Pakistan: Lawyers stage protest over construction of illegal canals

Sindh [Pakistan], March 16 (ANI): Lawyers organised a rally from the Sindh High Court (SHC) to the Karachi Press Club to protest the construction of six new canals on the Indus River and corporate farming, as reported by the Dawn.
The rally, which began at the Sindh High Court (SHC), concluded at the Karachi Press Club (KPC), with participants chanting slogans and holding placards against what they called "anti-Sindh projects."
According to the Dawn, Sindh High Court Bar Association President Sarfaraz Ali Metlo, Abdul Wahab Baloch, and other senior lawyers also joined the demonstration.
The Dawn reported that speeches at the KPC emphasised the legal and environmental concerns surrounding the project, with critics accusing federal authorities of undermining the interests of Sindh.
The lawyers demanded the immediate withdrawal of the canal project, stressing its potential to worsen water scarcity and disrupt the balance of the federation. The protest reflected the growing tension between Sindh and federal agencies over water distribution issues.
They said that it was their constitutional, legal, and democratic right to protest against the imposed construction of canals on the Indus River.
The state has repeatedly enforced policies designed to appropriate Sindh's land, resources, and river. The Indus River is essential to Sindh's existence, and it is the responsibility of every Sindhi to defend its preservation.
Recently, the World Sindhi Congress held a protest outside the Pakistan High Commission in London, denouncing the federal and Punjab governments of Pakistan for constructing six illegal canals on the Indus River on International River Day.
Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) Chairman Sohail Abro stressed the gravity of the issue, describing it as a life-and-death matter for Sindh's people. In a Facebook post, he warned that the canal construction would exacerbate the water crisis, severely affecting agriculture and daily life in the region.
The protest attracted significant attention, highlighting the increasing tensions surrounding water rights and political autonomy in Pakistan. (ANI)