GDA, Save Indus River Movement to protest in Hyderabad against canals project on 19th

The Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Save Indus River Movement have announced a protest march in Hyderabad on April 19 intensifying their struggle against the construction of six new canals on the Indus River.

Declaring that water was a matter of life and death for them, they vowed not to allow the controversial canals to be built under any circumstances and demanded that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Asif Ali Zardari apologise for lying to and deceiving the people of Sindh on the canals' issue. They emphasised that the solution to the Balochistan issue lied in handing over power to the real tribal leaders and the people.

They also demanded a level playing field in the Umerkot by-election, announcing a historic rally on April 15. These demands were made by Sindh GDA Chief Coordinator and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional President Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashdi during a press conference on Friday after a meeting of the GDA and Save Indus River Movement on the canals' issue. Dr Fehmida Mirza, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Asadullah Bhutto, Dr Safdar Abbasi, Masroor Sial, Riaz Chandio, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Junior, Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, Syed Zain Shah, Ehsan Jatoi, Munir Haider Shah, Mohsin Magsi, Mazhar Rahujo, Shahnawaz Jatoi and Mir Muzafar Brohi participated in the session.

Bhutto Junior announced full support for the GDA and Save Indus River Movement’s struggle against the controversial canals, stating that the construction of these canals posed a direct threat to Sindh's survival. He emphasised the need for all conscious citizens to wake up and take action.

Rashdi stressed the seriousness of the canal issue, saying that the project would create immense problems for Sindh's farmers and lead to fertile lands turning barren. He warned that corporate farming projects would collapse and vowed to challenge the project at every forum.

Regarding the upcoming Umerkot by-election, Rashdi said the GDA would actively participate in the by-poll. He cautioned those in power not to show favouritism in the election and hinted that a positive change might follow the by-election.

He warned that the prevailing corrupt system was pushing them towards a boycott and called for equal electoral opportunities for all candidates. To a question about Form 47 of the Election Commission of Pakistan for declaring the poll result of a constituency, he said it had become such a heavy burden on its creators that they were now wondering where to throw it away. He also criticised the situation in Balochistan, stating that real tribal leaders had been sidelined and fake ones given power.

The solution, he said, lied in returning power to the true representatives of the people. Dr Fehmida said the GDA was the first to raise the issue of the controversial canals, and now the message had spread to every home. She emphasised that it was not an individual’s concern but a collective issue, and every member of society was protesting against it.

She warned that if the canals were built, even Karachi and Hyderabad would face a drinking water crisis, and the whole of Sindh would be affected. She also criticised what she said the incumbent unconstitutional government setup created through Form 47 and said the so-called Parliament's true purpose had become clear.