Pakistan: Political and farmer groups rally against canal project

Karachi [Pakistan], December 16 (ANI): Protests continue to intensify across Sindh against the federal government's proposed canal project on the Indus River, with various political and farmer groups voicing their opposition, The Dawn reported.
Activists from Awami Porhiyat Tehreek, PPP-SB, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), and local farmers staged marches, rallies, and sit-ins on Sunday, condemning the construction of six new canals, which they argue would deprive Sindh of its water resources.
According to reports by Dawn, the leaders of Awami Porhiyat Tehreek, including President GN Khoso, rallied in Wahi Pandhi, accusing the federal government and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari of conspiring against Sindh. They warned that the people of Sindh, numbering over 50 million, would not tolerate any move that threatened their access to water. Activists criticised the provincial government's failure to protect Sindh's interests, accusing them of prioritising personal gains while disregarding the needs of the local population.
The Dawn reported that Kashif Saeed Sheikh, head of Jamaat-i-Islami's Sindh chapter, voiced concerns that the canal project posed a serious threat to Sindh's agriculture and history. He called on Sindhi people to resist, stressing that the Indus River was vital for the province's survival. Sheikh also blamed President Zardari for approving harmful projects like the Greater Thar Canal, which further undermined Sindh's water rights.
Farmers, including notable landowners such as Faisal Kachchelo and Ali Hassan Chandio, organised protests and sit-ins, demanding the federal government scrap the canal project. They accused the PPP of betraying Sindh by selling out its water share to Punjab.
Additionally, Awami Tehreek President Vasand Thari announced a "Save Sindh Peaceful March" scheduled for December 22 in Sukkur to mobilise support against the project. Thari and other leaders emphasized that the project would devastate Sindh's agricultural sector and overall prosperity, according to The Dawn.
The protests have garnered widespread support from various sectors of society, with activists and farmers pledging to intensify their resistance if the project proceeds. The growing movement underscores the deepening discontent in Sindh over water rights and governance issues. (ANI)