Several rallies and processions were carried out across the Sindh province in Pakistan on Monday, protesting the federal government’s canal project on the Indus River. Activists, members of various political parties, civil society outfits, trade unions, and literary associations are up in arms against the government which is constructing six canals on the Indus river, local media reported.

The Sindh Bachayo Committee and Shahri Action Committee held a joint rally in Naudero town of Sindh as the protesters issued warnings, stating that the project might render the entire Sindh barren. A large number of villagers also took out a procession from Balhreji village in Sindh to Mohenjo Daro where they held a demonstration against the project.

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Meanwhile, the protesting leaders of local chapters of nationalist and federalist parties demanded that the government allocate land for Sindh’s farmers, ensure fair distribution of Indus water and immediately scrap the corporate farming project. They warned that if their demands were not met, they would launch provincewide agitation and block all major highways.

The leaders warned that the diversion of water could lead to loss of millions of acres of fertile land in Sindh.

“The canal project is not just an environmental disaster for Sindh but also a potential threat to the country’s stability and security,” reported Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn.

The Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Naduero chapter held a demonstration outside the local press club on Sunday and demanded that the government shelve the plan. Earlier, reflecting a growing political fissure and conflicting stances, the coalition partner of the ruling Pakistani government, the PPP Sindh Council, rejected the Centre’s plan to build six new canals on the Indus River. It warned that Sindh would not accept any new canal project in the Indus River system.

Last week, rejecting PPP leader and current Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari’s speech in a joint session of parliament on the construction of six new canals, the Save Indus River Movement (SIRM) announced provincewide protests against what it called “unconstitutional projects”. Criticising President Zardari for allegedly approving the canal projects, the SIRM leaders demanded that the PPP should quit the federal government.

The protests, echoing demands to “let the water flow”, have been held across the province as the citizens described such projects as “anti-people policies” and “violation” of Sindh’s rights.