PPP-Backed Shehbaz Govt Cuts Sindh’s Water, Awami Tahreek Demand 1945 Accord Implementation
PPP-Backed Shehbaz Govt Cuts Sindh’s Water, Awami Tahreek Demand 1945 Accord Implementation
Tando Allahyar, 23 March: A protest rally was organized by Awami Tehreek from Kumbhar Hotel to the Tando Allahyar Press Club against corporate farming, the construction of six new canals, and the amendment to the IRSA Act. A large number of women and children also participated in the rally, chanting slogans such as “Federal government, make it clear—either the canals go, or Pakistan stays!”, “End corporate farming projects!”, “Repeal the IRSA Act amendment ordinance!”, and “Abolish SIFC!”
Addressing the rally, Awami Tehreek’s Central Coordination Secretary Lal Jarwar, along with Abdul Rahman Samoon, Hanif Sarang, Sindhyani Tehreek’s central leader Advocate Sorath Mangarhar, Advocate Niaz Bharani, farmer leader Abdul Rahman, Mohammad Bachal Samijo, Shumaila Samijo, Sain Bakhsh Jarwar, and other leaders, strongly condemned Punjab’s long-standing exploitation of Sindh’s water resources. They stated that Punjab’s rulers have been stealing Sindh’s water for the past 172 years through sheer force and that they must now be held accountable for this historical water theft. They accused Punjabi rulers of both India and Pakistan of conspiring together to divert the waters of the Indus River, leaving Sindh without drinking water while Punjab continues to construct flood canals. They warned that Punjab is now building nine new canals, further worsening the crisis.
The leaders criticized the Sindh government for failing to take a clear stance on the canal issue and accused it of taking no action to reclaim Sindh’s stolen water from the past 170 years. They further alleged that the Sindh government, led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), is acting as a subordinate to Maryam Nawaz’s federal government. Dismissing PPP’s announced protests against the canals as mere political theatrics, they claimed that the party is deceiving the Sindhi people with fake demonstrations to save its political face. They accused PPP of exploiting Sindhi nationalism to push Bilawal Bhutto Zardari towards the Prime Minister’s seat while selling off Sindh’s rivers, lands, and resources for its political gain.
The protest leaders further alleged that PPP handed over Sindh’s resources to the federal government in exchange for securing the presidency and is now looking to completely sell out Sindh to form a federal government. They claimed that the federal government, led by Nawaz League, is standing on PPP’s shoulders and that Shehbaz Sharif’s government, facilitated by PPP, has blocked Sindh’s water supply. The protesters demanded the restoration of Sindh’s water share according to the 1945 Water Accord.
