Anti-Canals Rally in Tando Bago

Awami Tehreek and Sindhyani Tehreek organize the massive rally

Tando Bago, Sindh

A rally was organized by Awami Tehreek and Sindhyani Tehreek from Ed More Pump to the main square of Tando Bago town of Badin district to protest against the allocation of millions of acres of Sindh’s land to the federal government and foreign companies through corporate farming, as well as the extraction of canals from the Indus River. A large number of women, men, farmers, laborers, and citizens participated in the demonstration.

During the rally, slogans were raised rejecting the canal projects, Corporate farming project. Certain slogans said: “Zardari, make it clear – canal or Pakistan?” and “Shahbaz, make it clear – canal or Pakistan?”

The rally was led by Awami Tehreek Central President Advocate Vusand Thari, Sindhyani Tehreek Central President Adi Umra Samoon, SST Central President Advocate Naveed Abbas Kalhoro, Badin District President Mehran Dars, Mukhtiar Bukhari, Awami Tehreek leaders Lal Jarwar, Dr. Dildar Laghari, Advocate Fazil, Zarka Halipoto, Azmat Halipoto, Pohi Halipoto, Jeevan Kumar Sindhu Jamali, Razia Khaskheli, Mehak Halipoto, Sonhan Jamali and others.

Addressing the protest, the leaders stated that the corporate farming project and the plan to extract canals from the Indus River are schemes aimed at plundering Sindh’s water and seizing its lands. These are anti-Sindh and anti-federation projects. They asserted that while millions of acres of uncultivated land in Cholistan remain barren, the fertile lands of Sindh are being targeted for desolation — something the people of Sindh will never accept.

They further stated that federal institutions, including the Council of Common Interests (CCI), are dominated by representatives of Punjab province and continue to make decisions against the smaller provinces. The people of Sindh categorically reject the CCI’s anti-Sindh decisions.

On one hand, the water supply to Sindh is being cut off to turn the province into a desert, while on the other hand, Punjab’s ruling class is using its power to forcibly flow canals like the Chashma-Jhelum Link and Taunsa-Panjnad Canal, and take Sindh’s water unlawfully.

They emphasized that a “One Unit” system is practically in place in Pakistan, under which the rights of smaller provinces are being usurped. The leaders declared that until the anti-Sindh projects of corporate farming and canals are completely withdrawn, their peaceful democratic struggle will continue.

A wedding celebration converted into protest 

Meanwhile, in Khairpur Nathan Shah town of Dadu district, activists from the Sindhyani Tehreek and Awami Tehreek transformed a wedding ceremony into a platform for protest against the construction of six new canals, corporate farming, and other anti-people policies imposed by the Sindh government and federal authorities. The event, attended by hundreds, saw women singing traditional Sindhi songs with altered lyrics condemning the exploitation of the Indus River, while leaders delivered fiery speeches against systemic injustices.

The protest occurred during a wedding reception (Valima) of Atif Mallah, a prominent leader of the Awami Tehreek, Sindhi Shagird Tahreek held at a local marriage hall. Women of the Sindhyani Tehreek, with their hands dyed in henna, raised slogans such as No More canals on Indus. Their symbolic resistance highlighted the growing public anger against the Sindh government’s collusion with federal entities to deprive Sindh of its rightful share of Indus River water.

Read: Book Review: A Case of the Indus River

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