HYDERABAD, May 14: The Sindh National Congress has criticised the Asian Development Bank for offering funds for the proposed construction of dams in Pakistan.

The party termed the bank’s recent offer for Kalabagh and Bhasha dams a “financial imperialist policy”.

In a statement faxed to Dawn on Saturday, SNC leaders Hussain Bux Thebo and Punhal Sario said that the bank had not taken into consideration the plight of would-be affected people of Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP before announcing its policy to provide funds for dams.

They said that even the reputation of the bank would receive a set-back due to its policies.

They said that big dams had not only been declared dangerous in the world but international irrigation experts and organisations had already declared the Tarbela dam as dangerous.

They advised the ADP authorities to take notice of robberies being committed on the waters of Sindh, the construction of illegal dams and canals and the acute water shortage in Sindh.

They said that the existing dams had destroyed the Indus delta, agriculture and wetlands of Sindh.

SNC leaders said that even drinking water was not available in Sindh.

They said that the people of Pithoro, the home division of the Sindh chief minister and the speaker were migrating due to non-availability of drinking water.

HUNGER STRIKE: Activists of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz observed a token hunger strike outside the Hyderabad press club on Sunday in protest against disappearance of JSMM leaders.

They demanded that Muzaffar Bhutto, Sattar Hakro, Nawaz Zaunr and Muharram Mallah be immediately released.

Those observed hunger strike are: Shahnawaz Bhutto, Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Inayat Shah, Ayaz Bhutto, Ms Rani Bhutto and Ms Allah Bachai.

They said that JSMM leaders were taken into custody eight months back but they were being held incommunicado at some unknown place.

They said that it was quite obvious that they were being subjected to atrocities otherwise their arrests would have been made public.

They appealed to all nationalist groups and leaders, Sindhi Adabi Sangat, SANA, World Sindhi Congress and democratic forces to take notice of the state operation against the JSMM and to put pressure on authorities to disclose whereabouts of disappeared leaders.