HYDERABAD: The Sindh Progressive Committee (SPC) has decided to hold a protest on April 23 against water shortage and contamination of Indus River’s water.

The decision was taken at an SPC meeting held here on Tuesday in the office of the Awami Workers Party (AWP) under the chairmanship of comrade Bakhshal Thalho, the committee’s convener.

The meeting was attended by Jeay Sindh Mahaz (J) chairman Abdul Khaliq Junejo and general secretary Hashim Khoso; Communist Party of Pakistan secretary general comrade Imdad Qazi and provincial secretary comrade Iqbal Khan, and Awami Workers Party senior vice president comrade Latif Laghari.

The meeting also discussed political situation in the country and the impact of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over political and national rights of local people.

It expressed concern over severe water shortage in Sindh and a recently published report about contamination of freshwater resources according to which 87 per cent of water in Sindh is either brackish or unfit for human consumption.

The meeting noted that according to the report, River Indus has become a main source of disposal of effluent right from Mansehra to Hyderabad and the river’s water was not fit for drinking.

It said this single reason was sufficient to cause disease amongst the people of Sindh.

The meeting stated that due to wrong policies of the rulers, water had been completely depleted in Mangla and Tarbela reservoirs and non-release of irrigation flows downstream Kotri had destroyed the Indus delta.

Sowing of cotton in lower Sindh had started and water shortage was badly affecting the process, it said.

Rice sowing in upper Sindh was also to be affected due to non-availability of water and its sowing would be affected even in May and June, which was otherwise ideal time for its sowing in that part of Sindh, it added.

The meeting asserted that water shortage and contamination of water resources was largely due to defective policies of the rulers and was not natural.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2017

Opinion

From hard to harder

From hard to harder

Instead of ‘hard state’ turning even harder, citizens deserve a state that goes soft on them in delivering democratic and development aspirations.

Editorial

Canal unrest
Updated 03 Apr, 2025

Canal unrest

With rising water scarcity in Indus system, it is crucial to move towards a consensus-driven policymaking process.
Iran-US tension
03 Apr, 2025

Iran-US tension

THE Trump administration’s threats aimed at Iran do not bode well for global peace, and unless Washington changes...
Flights to history
03 Apr, 2025

Flights to history

MOHENJODARO could have been the forgotten gold we desperately need. Instead, this 5,000-year-old well of antiquity ...
Eid amidst crises
Updated 31 Mar, 2025

Eid amidst crises

Until the Muslim world takes practical steps to end these atrocities, these besieged populations will see no joy.
Women’s rights
Updated 01 Apr, 2025

Women’s rights

Such judgements, and others directly impacting women’s rights should be given more airtime in media.
Not helping
Updated 02 Apr, 2025

Not helping

If it's committed to peace in Balochistan, the state must draw a line between militancy and legitimate protest.