LARKANA: A multiparty conference (MPC) convened by Qaumi Awami Tehreek and its woman wing, Sindhyani Tehreek, has rejected federal government`s plan for the construction of six `strategic` canals on Indus River, termed amendment to Irsa Act as unconstitutional and flayed Pakistan Peoples Party for its `double-faced` policy on Sindh`s water rights.

Ms Zeenat Samo, central chairperson of Sindhiyani Tehreek; leaders of QAT, Sindh United Party, Jeay Sindh Mahaz, Watandost Mazdoor Federation, Khaksar Tehreek, Pakistan Peoples PartyShaheed Bhutto, Sindhi Adabi Sangat and other parties said at the meeting held on Saturday evening that the construction of canals would be tantamount to rendering fertile Sindh barren.

They lamented that instead of bringing electricity to Thar`s villages and towns, the power generated from the area`s coal was being provided to Punjab, which was quite uncalled for. Sindh`s natural resources were being encroached upon unabatedly and large tracts of land in coastal areas, Kohistan and Karachi had been offered to land mafia, they said.

They said that the PPP that had been ruling Sindh for past 17 years was taking anti-people decisions, which would be opposed tooth and nail. `The Indus is our lifeline whose water is stolen by Punjab, they said.

They declared that Sindh would rise against the construction of canals as it stood unshaken in past against the construction of Kalabagh Dam.

They said that it was need of the hour to speed up the ongoing campaign against all the water projects aimed at ruining Sindh. It would be quite unjust to make Punjab`s desert green through Cholistan Canal at the cost of rendering Sindh`s fertile land barren, they said.They called for ensuring 20 MAF water was released downstream Kotri Barrage into the sea to save mangrove forests and Indus Delta.

The speakers said that amendments to Irsa Act were in violation of Article 154 and 155 of the Constitution and objected over sending the water issue to ECNEC or other forums instead of placing it on the agenda of Council of Common Interests.

The conference expressed grave concern over deteriorating law and order situation in Larkana and Sukkur divisions and complained that Women Protection Cell and Anti-Harassment Cell were not performing well while incidents of `karo-kari` 1(illings and underage marriages were on the rise, which required the government to strengthen laws for providing protection to women.

The meeting demanded the government take measures to discourage the trend of encroachment upon pre-historicand historical places in Sindh.

CPP rally in Hyderabad Activists of Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) and Sindh Hari Committee formed a human chain at Al Manzar resort on the Indus River`s bank in Jamshoro on Sunday to express their protest against the six `strategic` canals projects and corporate farming.

CPP leader Comrade Imdad Qazi said in his speech before the protesters that people of Sindh were protesting against the canals. When water was not available in the country such a huge expenditure of funds on the canals was not understandable, he said.

It was obvious the new canals would render the irrigated land barren and mal(e the uncultivable land arable, he said.

He said that a Senate committee had submitted its report which warned that cities like Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal andBadin would be devoured by sea in next 50 years as required flows were not released downstream Kotri Barrage to push bacl< the Arabian sea, which was already devouring lands in lower Sindh.

He said that CPP would always oppose corporate farming and the canals project.

The party`s leader from Punjab, Prof Wali Anjum, Siraiki Wasaib leader Jam Bashir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa`s Ahmed Ali Shinwari and the party`s Balochistan president Farhad Rind took part in the human chain protest to represent their respective provinces.

Awami Jamhoori Party`s president Mir Khadim Talpur, Jeay Sindh Mahaz`s Prof Ameer Chandio and others also joined the protest to express solidarity with the cause.

The CPP Sindh general secretary Comrade Iqbal, SHC president Prof Munawar Talpur, general secretary Comrade Damro Mal, vice president Mustafa Rajpar and others participated in the protest.