Protests in Sindh Against Canal Project Threatening Water Supply

In Sindh, Pakistan, large rallies were held to oppose a plan to dig six canals for irrigating lands in Punjab. These protests included political and religious parties, nationalist groups, and civil society organizations. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) did not join the street protests but opposed the project. Major rallies occurred in Hyderabad and Larkana, where leaders condemned the project, fearing it would harm Sindh's water supply and agriculture.

Ayaz Latif Palijo, president of the Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT), warned that the canals would devastate Sindh's agriculture by reducing water flows. He stated that any attempt to take Sindh's resources would be resisted. Other speakers included Lal Shah of the Awami Jamhoori Party, Maulana Taj Mohammad Nahiyoon of JUI-F, Rafiq Magsi of PML-Functional, and Tahir Majeed of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI). Protesters chanted against the canal project and any changes to the Irsa Act, which manages water distribution in Pakistan.

Leaders accused the government of depleting Sindh's water resources and criticized the PPP for inconsistent policies, highlighting former President Asif Ali Zardari's approval of the project. They urged citizens to oppose projects that could harm Sindh's agriculture, affecting crops like wheat, sugarcane, rice, cotton, and bananas. Concerns were also raised about the project's impact on the Indus River ecosystem. Reports indicated that work on four canals had begun, with protests also occurring in other Sindh cities.