SUKKUR: A big rally was organised by the Awami Tehreek (AT) along with its women wing, Sindhyani Tahreek, against federal government’s plan to draw six canals from the Indus River, amend the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) Act, corporate farming and tribal system here on Sunday.

Participants of the rally started their march from the Sukkur Hockey Ground to the Ghanta Ghar Chowk.

They were led by AT president Advocate Vasand Thari, senior vice president Noor Ahmed Katiar and Sindhyani Tehreek head Umra Sammo.

The participants included literary figures, lawyers, besides activists of various political parties and civil society organisations.

Speaking to them, the AT leaders condemned the federal projects which, they said, were approved despite strong reservations expressed by the people of Sindh as well as other smaller provinces.

They repeated AT’s allegation that President Asif Ali Zardari had clandestinely given his approval for the canals project and that he and his Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were hypocritically opposing the same in public.

They described the canals project as a conspiracy to render Sindh’s fertile lands barren.

AT President Advocate Vasand Thari said: “The project posed a serious threat to Sindh’s very existence, hence its people. This unconstitutional project is an attack on Sindh’s rights.”

Corporate farming

The AT leaders also castigated the federal and Sindh governments for selling away Sindh’s resources, lands and water to corporate sector under the guise of “development”.

They said the proposed amendments to the Irsa Act were aimed at facilitating diversion of Sindh’s vital resources, including the Indus water.

They claimed that the PPP was in collusion with the federal government for political gains and for ensuring elevation of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to the slot of prime minister.

Law & order

The AT leaders also expressed their concern over deteriorating law and order in Sindh, observing that dacoit gangs, with the support of local authorities, had created a ‘state within the state’ and terrorising people with weapons and tyranny.

They said feudal lords, under a political agenda, were fanning tribal feuds to keep Sindh unstable.

Leaders and activists of the Kissan Rabta Committee, Sindhi Hari Tehreek and Sindh Suhai Sath also joined in the rally.

The others who spoke to the participants were Advocate Sajid Hussain Mahesar, Farooq Tariq, Comrade Ghulam Mustafa Chandio, Advocate Koonj Lashari, Dr Ayesha Dharejo, Irshad Pirzada, Lal Jarwar, Mahnoor Mallah, Advocate Sachal Bhatti, and Dr Marvi Sindhu.

Resolutions

Through various resolutions, the rally participants demanded a fair investigation into the Indus water theft and unauthorised canals like the Greater Thal Canal, Taunsa-Punjnand and Chashma-Jhelum link canals, by some independent, credible and neutral international institutions.

Some other resolutions called for shelving the six-canals project and corporate farming project; release of sufficient flows downstream Kotri Barrage to restore the Indus delta; ensure safeguarding rights of fisherfolk and farmers; measures against sea intrusion; compensation to the communities devastated by water mismanagement; immediate revoking of the allocation of 52,713 acres of Sindh’s lands to the corporate sector and restore them to their owners; withdrawal of the Land Port Authority Bill-2024, which is aimed at auctioning Sindh’s islands and ports; annulling the 26th Constitutional Amend-ment; and withdrawal of proposed amendments to the Irsa Act.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2024