The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) organised a rally from the old campus of the University of Sindh to the Hyderabad Press Club to protest against the construction of six new canals on Indus River and corporate farming.
Led by SCA President Syed Zainul Abedin Shah and General Secretary Zahid Bhurgri, the rally participants demanded that the federal government immediately issue a notification to halt the execution of canal projects, including the Cholistan canal, and the Green Pakistan Initiative, which were threatening the unity of the federation.
They praised the Sindh government for passing a resolution in the provincial assembly against the "anti-Sindh" canals and for standing with the people of Sindh.
In his speech at the press club where a large number of farmers had gathered, the SCA president stressed that for thousands of years, the Indus River had been a source of civilisation, existence, survival and livelihood.
"The five million people of Sindh consider the Cholistan canal and other such canal projects as a threat to their existence. This is because the country's reservoirs do not have enough water to sustain additional canals," he said.
Shah pointed out that Pakistan was a federation comprising people of distinct historical and cultural identities. "Therefore, before taking any hasty steps, the federal government must ensure that all constitutional, legal, fundamental, human, democratic and ethical values are respected. Any decisions regarding water reservoirs must be made transparently while considering accurate data and consulting all national stakeholders."
As the Kharif sowing season begins, the depletion of water in the country's two major reservoirs, Mangla and Tarbela, has created a drought-like situation in Sindh. "This is the warning sign of a major crisis."
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