DADU, Oct 28: Activists of social and political organizations took out a procession here on Thursday in protest against the award of contracts to the Pakistan Rangers in Badin and Thatta districts.

They marched on the main roads of the town and staged a demonstration outside the press club.

Awami Tehrik leader Panah Birhamani, social workers Akbar Lashari and Bakhat Jamal Soomro led the protesters.

Speaking on the occasion, they said the government had deprived the fishermen of their sole means of livelihood by awarding fishing contracts to the Rangers.

They said the fishermen were being arrested and harassed by law-enforcement agencies.

They demanded that all contracts given to the Rangers should be cancelled and the arrested fishermen released.

They also demanded that the government should recognize fishing rights of fishermen in the district waters.

PROTEST: A large number of farmers of Daim Dal and Akbar water channels of the Dadu canal staged a demonstration in Bhan Saeedabad town on Thursday in protest against an artificial water shortage in the area.

Ali Hassan Shahani, Mir Mohammad Sehro, Nazir Ahmed and Mohammad Ayub led the protesters.

Speaking on the occasion, the leaders alleged that the irrigation officials were selling water to influential growers hence paddy crop over hundreds of acres in Sehwan taluka had dried up.

They demanded that due share of water be supplied to their lands.

BOOKED: Four separate FIRs were registered against seven farmers and two irrigation officials after an irrigation team found four watercourses of the Johi Branch tampered with on Wednesday.

The irrigation officials were suspended.

The irrigation team, led by the executive engineer, southern irrigation division, paid surprise visits to different waterways of the Johi Branch and found watercourses 1R, 2R, 4R and 5L tempered with.

The team sealed the watercourses and suspended Baildar of the Patoro Waterway, Abdul Hameed Bhurgari and Darogha of the Johi Branch, Hakim Ali.

The executive engineer, Habibullah Kabooro, also lodged FIRs at Johi and Pat Gul Mohammad police stations against the two irrigation officials and farmers Haji, Budhal Leghari, Hassan, Yar Mohammad, Sajan Khoso, Ghulam Abbas Leghari and Himat Ali Laghari.