Highway connecting Punjab with Gwadar blocked; Anti-Kalabagh dam protest
LARKANA, Jan 3: A large number of activists in the lead of Bashir Qureshi, central chairman of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, blocked the Indus Highway on Tuesday in protest against the Kalabagh dam and military ‘operation’ in Balochistan.
Carrying banners and placards, protestors covered two kilometres distance from the Ratodero town and staged a sit-in on the highway which connects Punjab with Gwadar.
They blocked the highway for two hours.
Speaking on the occasion, Bashir Qureshi, Shafi Karanani, Athar Soomro and Momin Samoo said that they would resist the move of constructing Kalabagh dam and other water reservoirs on the Indus river as they would definitely turn Sindh’s fertile land barren.
“We are ready for all kinds of sacrifices”, they said and asked Punjab to desist from announcing the project.
They demanded that Chasma-Jhelum link canal and Taunsa-Panjnad link canal be closed because Punjab in violation of settled terms and conditions had been taking irrigation water from them.
“Punjab had already sold out its three rivers to India and according to 1945’s resolution, Sindh had sole right on the Indus river”, they said.
Criticizing government’s military action in Balochistan, the speakers said that women and children were being bombarded.
They said the Baloch were struggling for their rights and Sindhis would stand by their struggle.
They called for ending the military operation in the restive province.
Workers of the Sindh National Front and Watan Dost Mazdoor Federation also joined the protest.
In Dokri, activists of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz and Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz held a demonstration against the Kalabagh dam and other anti-Sindh project planned by the federal government.
Ruk Sindhi, Zulfikar Junejo and Azad Jarwar led protesters.
Carrying banners and placards, the activists marched on the main roads and assembled at the Saeen G.M. Syed chowk.
They opposed the construction of Kalabagh dam and flayed military operation in Balochistan.
A group of workers of both nationalist parties observed a hunger strike near the town hall.