Awami Tehreek and Sindhiyani Tehreek organize a massive public rally in Naushehro Feroze city rejecting Indus River Looting, Corporate Farming, and SIFC and PECA Undemocratic Rule
Naushehro Feroze, Sindh
As the part of relentless struggle against the construction of six canals on the Indus River, corporate farming, the IRSA Amendment Act, the Green Pakistan Project, and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), going on since last five months, Awami Tehreek and Sindhiyani Tehreek organized a massive public rally in Naushehro Feroze city on Wednesday March 19, reaffirming their unwavering commitment to the movement until the illegal structures on the Indus River are completely removed.
Addressing the charged gathering, Awami Tehreek’s central president, Advocate Visand Thari, condemned the state’s policies that threaten Sindh’s survival. “As patriotic Pakistanis, we strongly oppose the reckless exploitation of the Indus River under the deceptive banner of the ‘Green Pakistan Initiative’ (GPI). The construction of new canals is not just an environmental and economic disaster for Sindh but a direct assault on the Federation itself. This is not development—it is an engineered plan to deprive Sindh of its rightful water, pushing the dangerous agenda of ‘Greater Punjab.’ Already, the Baloch are resisting, the Pashtuns are discontent, and now Sindhis are being driven toward destruction. We demand an immediate halt to these projects before they further fracture national unity and stability,” he stated.
The protestors also condemned the national media’s biased, paid content, and irresponsible coverage, which promotes the unjust construction of additional canals and corporate farming. “The so-called Green Pakistan Initiative is anti-people and anti-Sindh. It threatens our water rights and agricultural survival. Shockingly, many media houses, despite operating from Sindh and profiting from its resources, continue to conspire against its interests. Journalists must stand with the people, not corporate elites or hidden agendas. The people of Sindh will not remain silent while their rights are trampled,” added Advocate Thari.
Furthermore, the protestors demanded the immediate closure of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), calling it an undemocratic, unconstitutional body making unilateral decisions that bypass elected assemblies and national institutions like IRSA. “When elected assemblies exist, there is no justification for an unelected body to dictate national policies. Established on June 20, 2023, SIFC was supposedly meant to attract foreign investment, but instead, it has been making decisions—such as canal projects—without consulting democratic institutions. Pakistan’s future cannot be dictated by unelected forces; democracy must prevail,” the leadership declared.
The rally also strongly condemned the new PECA bill, labeling it a blatant attack on freedom of speech. The speakers criticized President Asif Ali Zardari’s role in signing anti-people laws to extend his grip on power, silencing dissent, and suppressing independent voices. “By aligning with the military establishment, Zardari is pushing Pakistan towards authoritarianism and an orthodox state, betraying the principles of democracy and civil liberties. We reject this draconian law and demand its immediate withdrawal,” the leaders affirmed.
The rally was led by Advocate Visand Thari, Awami Tehreek’s central senior vice president Noor Ahmed Katiyar, district president of Awami Tehreek Naushero Feroze, Latif Bhatti, along with other prominent leaders, including Hussain Soomro, Dr. Fida Bharijo, Ali Nawaz Almani, Sarwar Sindhi, Salam Soomro, Shahid Solangi, Sattar Umrani, and Sindhyani Tehreek leaders Moomal Dahari, Sana Rajper, Sindh Sabhita, and several others.
The people of Sindh have made their stance clear: they will not allow the destruction of their land, water, and democratic rights. The government must act responsibly—immediately halt these destructive canal projects, hold the media accountable for its bias, dissolve the SIFC, and repeal the PECA bill. Sindh will not compromise its survival.
Read: Indus River: Awami Tehreek Stages Rally
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