Nationalist parties organised rallies in several cities of Sindh on Saturday to register their protest against the construction of Diamer-Bhasha dam and to reiterate their demand for the deportation of unregistered refugees.
Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz chairperson Nawaz Khan Zaunr, who spoke at a demonstration in Sujawal district, termed the construction of new dams and canals a “conspiracy to turn Sindh into an arid land.”
“We won’t accept any dam on the Indus River, including Bhasha dam,” he said, and complained that time and again, attempts were made to build new dams and canals on the Indus River.
“Sindh is already being denied its share of water and these new structures will only further curtail our share,” he added.
At a protest in Nawabshah district, nationalist leader Daudo Siyal claimed that many districts of Sindh faced drought-like conditions, which earlier only existed in Tharparkar.
Protests against the construction of new dams were also held in Hyderabad and other districts of the province.
Illegal migrants
Meanwhile, Awami Jamhoori Party set up a hunger strike camp in Hyderabad to protest the settlement of ‘illegal immigrants’ in Sindh. The local leaders of some other political parties including Awami Tehreek, Jeay Sindh Mahaz and Awami Workers Party also attended the protest.
Abrar Qazi, the party’s leader, blamed both the federal and provincial government for failing to repatriate Afghan refugees.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 27th, 2020.
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