Let the Indus River flow, AT Protest Rally Marks International Day of Action for Rivers and demands to act sindh Punjab water Accord 1945

Let the Indus River flow, AT Protest Rally Marks International Day of Action for Rivers and demands to act sindh Punjab water Accord 1945.

JAMSHORO/HYDERABAD– On the occasion of the International Day of Action for Rivers, Awami Tehreek and Sindhyani Tehreek organized a protest rally from Karan Shoro village in Qasimabad to Al-Manzar, Jamshoro, where participants paid tribute to the Indus River. The demonstration, attended by a large number of women and children, strongly condemned the construction of six new canals, amendments to the IRSA Act, and corporate farming projects. The protesters showered flowers into the river and pledged to continue their struggle for Sindh’s water rights.
The rally was led by Awami Tehreek’s Central President Advocate Vasand Thari, Central Leaders Advocate Izhar Dawoodpo, Advocate Raheel Bhutto, Sindhyani Tehreek’s Central President Umarah Samoon, Awami Tehreek Hyderabad President Sarmad Rajpar, Noor Nabi Palijo, Husna Rahujo, Advocate Kainat Dahri, Jam Tamachi, and others.

Addressing the gathering, the leaders stated that former President Ayub Khan committed a historical betrayal by selling Sindh’s three rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—to India under an agreement with the Nehru government, leading to an environmental and economic disaster for the province. They further added that for over 150 years, Punjab’s ruling elite has been exploiting Sindh’s water by constructing canals and dams, severely damaging the Indus Delta. Citing a World Bank report, they claimed that Pakistan suffers an annual economic loss of $200 billion due to the depletion of water resources.

The speakers highlighted the devastating impact of this water mismanagement, including the destruction of mangrove forests, rising sea intrusion, and the desertification of Sindh’s agricultural lands. Despite the 1991 Water Accord, they claimed that Sindh is facing more than a 50% water shortage, with authorities failing to ensure the province receives its due share.
Turning their criticism towards the Sindh government, the leaders accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of siding with the Punjab government and the federal administration at the cost of Sindh’s interests. They alleged that the six new canals are being constructed with PPP’s tacit approval and dismissed the recent Sindh Assembly resolution on the issue as a mere eyewash, lacking the genuine demands of the people. They likened this to the digital census controversy, where PPP initially opposed the process but later endorsed it through the Council of Common Interests (CCI), reducing Sindhis to a minority in their own province.
The protestors demanded the immediate cancellation of all six new canals, corporate farming initiatives, the Green Pakistan project, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), and the Board of Investment Amendment Act 2023. They rejected any government resolution that does not include these demands, calling it an attempt to undermine Sindh’s struggle for its water rights.
They also criticized the role of IRSA in approving the Cholistan Canal based on manipulated data, calling for legal action against those responsible. Furthermore, they accused President Asif Ali Zardari of amending the IRSA Act to facilitate corporate control over Sindh’s water resources and shift authority over the Indus River to security institutions. The speakers condemned PPP for what they described as a deceptive strategy to mislead the public while serving the interests of powerful stakeholders.
Calling for international intervention, the leaders demanded the formation of an independent commission comprising global water and environmental experts and inalactuals to investigate violations of Sindh’s water rights. They insisted that Sindh must receive its due share of water under the 1945 Sindh-Punjab Water Agreement.