The people of Sindh have taken to the streets in protest against the construction of canals on the Indus River—controversial projects that, they argue, have turned Sindh’s agriculture land barren. Meanwhile, in Cholistan, a desert land, the same controversial project promises to bring greenery.
Sindh has voiced deep concerns, questioning why the state seeks to turn fertile land into wasteland. The issue extends beyond agriculture, as the province’s population is also expected to face severe consequences. However, water experts warn that the state’s initiative to construct canals in Cholistan will not produce the intended results. Instead, they argue, it will accelerate the destruction of the Indus Delta and worsen the effects of climate change.
With both the majority of people and experts opposing the project, a critical question arises: why is the government pushing ahead with the canals project, which appears to benefit only Islamabad and Punjab?
This is not the first time Sindh has had to fight for its share of water. The province has been looked in over a century-old dispute with Punjab, dating back to British rule, when Punjab first attempted to construct controversial canal. At the time, the British government rejected the plan, acknowledging that it would harm Sindh.
After the creation of Pakistan, controversial projects aimed at curbing Sindh’s water share reemerged—most notably Kalabagh Dam, which was widely opposed and ultimately rejected by three provinces: Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, with Punjab being the sole supporter.
Even the 1992 Water Accord, introduced under then Prime Minister Muhammad Mian Nawaz Sharif, was met strong reservations from Sindh. Despite these concerns, the accord was imposed on the province. Punjab and Islamabad have consistently ignored the rights of other provinces when it comes to water distribution, leaving Sindh to bear the heavy burden of being a lower riparian province. To this day, Punjab and Islamabad continue to withhold Sindh’s rightful share of water.
Sindh has long raised concerns over water shortage and the ongoing constructions of canals. Now, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued a stark warning: the province is on the brink of severe drought, with 19 districts at risk of devastation. While the country faces an escalating water crisis—on that has already taken a toll on the people of Sindh and Balochistan—decision-makers in Islamabad remain fixated on constructing more canals, deepening the crisis rather than addressing it.
Therefore, Sindh has been protesting and demanding an end to the construction of controversial canals. March 7th of this year carried historical significance, as it marked a day of resistance. On this day in the past, Sindh University students stood against former dictator Ayub Khan and his One Unit policy—a scheme designed to erase the identities of provinces and control natural resources, with Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa being the most affected. Sindh led the movement against it, and on March 7th, Sindh University students staged a protest. The police responded with violence, triggering demonstration across the province.
Grave Injustice and anti-people policies continue to repeat history. On March 7th this year, Sindh University students once again held a peaceful protest—this time against the construction of six canals. The police unleased violence against them, and the First Information Report (FIR) was registered against 100 students. Beyond students, others who have spoken out against the controversial project are also facing harassment and enforced disappearances. Recent reports indicate that, in March alone, six Sindhi nationalist political activists were abducted for leading protests.
Meanwhile, Sindhi writers, including Taj Joyo and others, were either detained or prevented from delivering lectures on the six canals issue on March 7th.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has ruled Sindh for over a decade, yet its actions reflect less democracy and more authoritarianism, particularly toward those who oppose the construction of canals. As the ruling party, PPP should be demanding that the government in Islamabad halt this controversial project. Instead, it appears to be complicit in it. If PPP truly opposes the canals, why does it resort to violence against protesters in the provinces?
Democracy guarantees the right to protest, yet PPP and authorities in Islamabad continue to deny this fundamental right. People who witness their water share being diverted through construction of these canals now face a grim reality: if they protest, they risk violence or abduction. PPP, which claims to be a champion of democracy, must confront its own actions—because by suppressing dissent, it is dismantling its own democratic image. Only authoritarian regimes refuse to tolerate protests.
Ayub Khan is gone, but his One Unit policy still breathes within PPP. In the 1960s, One Unit sought to erase identity and control resources; in 2025, it seeks to erase the very existence of Sindhis.
Water is life. The construction of there canals sends a crystal-clear message to Sindhis: there existence is under threat.
