Water diversion ignites deadly gunfight in Larkana

As Sindh is currently braving an unusual large-scale destruction caused by the unprecedented rains and floods, the nerves of people have also frayed dealing with this catastrophe.

One such example of losing tempers was seen in the limits of Pir Shah police station in Larkana where a bloody fight took place on the matter of diverting rainwater of a drain in the area.

Two parties got into an altercation over the water diversion and when the matter heated up, they exchanged gunfire. As a result, a man was killed on the spot and two others were injured.

Protest in Sakrand

People of different villages staged a sit-in protest on the National Highway against influential landlords who were diverting water from their fields towards villages. 

Long queues of vehicles were formed on both sides of the thorough fare connecting the north and south of the country. Passengers had to face problems due to the blockade.

Locals of Masti Khan Chandio, Ehsan Anwar, Kundu Khaskhali, Haji Usman Odho and other villages led by Sajjad Chandio and other growers protested at the Fifth Mill Stop on the National Highway. They said that influential landowners had been diverting the water from their lands to other villages, which has affected 5,000 houses.

The protestors said that more water is being released, which threatens to submerge more villages and small towns. They demanded of the government to take action against influential landlords and stop them from diverting water to other villages.

The sit-in continued for three hours and ended only on the assurance of MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio that he would see to it that the discharge of water towards villages is stopped.

Potholes in flyover

Shaheed Benazir Interchange Flyover in Sakrand on the National Highway, constructed at a cost of billions of rupees, could not prove its durability even for a few years.

Due to the recent rains, big potholes have emerged on the flyover and there is a fear of heavy damage due to the dilapidated condition of the bridge.

People can see that earth has moved on both sides of the foundations of the flyover, washed away by rainwater, which has put a question mark on the strength of the bridge. The torrents have exposed stones in the foundations of the pillars holding the multi-lane flyover.

The reinforcement of the flyover is weakening and stones and earth are coming off, while the erosion of base has also started. People traveling over this main flyover on the national link are face of serious danger.