KARACHI: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed concerns over a criminal case registered against nearly 100 students in Jamshoro for participating in a protest against new canals project.

“We deplore the use of disproportionate force against the protesters, after the police attempted to prevent them from gathering on the Indus Highway.

“We remind the Sindh government that under international best practices, non-violent assemblies that obstruct public roads should not be dispersed with force solely on the basis of the disruption they cause,” said the rights organisation in a statement.

It demanded that the FIR be withdrawn and those still in custody released.

On March 4, the Jamshoro police had baton-charged and fired teargas shells to disperse students protesting against Cholistan canal and other water channels being created to irrigation millions of acres of Panjab lands with Indus water.

A case was registered against the protesting students.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2025