HYDERABAD: A meeting of the Sindh Abadgar Ittehad (SAI) was held at the organization’s central office in Hyderabad on Friday under the chairmanship of President Nawab Zubair Ahmed Talpur.
The meeting discussed the ongoing flood situation across the country, especially the destruction caused by floods and heavy rains in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Participants expressed deep sorrow over the losses and showed solidarity with the affected people.
It was emphasized that the only effective way to mitigate flood damages is to restore the natural paths of water. Alongside this, the meeting stressed the importance of cleaning barrages, canals, and branches across the province.
Serious concern was expressed over reports of intentional breaches made in embankments at different locations by the Sindh government. The participants warned that such actions could lead to severe destruction and urged the authorities to avoid them.
The meeting called for strict action against those who have illegally encroached upon the banks of rivers, canals, and waterways. It was demanded that all four provincial assemblies, the National Assembly, and the Senate pass legislation to take action against encroachments.
A defined limit should be established to prevent any individual or group from occupying riverbanks or beds. Participants also stressed the need to restore natural lakes and ponds to help manage floodwater more effectively.
They criticised the recurring campaign for controversial projects like the Kalabagh Dam, which resurfaces every time there is a flood. It was stated that it is now evident that dams cannot prevent floods, and the Sindh Abadgar Ittehad firmly rejects such plans once again, asserting that Sindh has never accepted them and never will.
Support was extended to the ongoing protest movement launched by the Sindh Abadgar Tanzeem in Badin against the artificial shortage of water. The meeting demanded that tail-end areas of Sindh, including Khairpur Gamboh, be provided their fair share of water.
Concern was also raised over the continuous rise in fertilizer prices. The government was urged to take immediate steps to reduce the prices and ease the burden on farmers. The meeting also reviewed the current wheat market conditions and demanded that the support price for paddy be fixed at Rs4,000 per 40kg, cotton at Rs10,000 per 40kg, and wheat at Rs5,000 per 40kg.
While acknowledging that the price of sugar has already been fixed, the meeting called on the Sugar Board to convene a session and fix the sugarcane support price at Rs600 per 40kg. The participants strongly condemned India’s actions regarding water and described them as water terrorism. They demanded that the federal government take the matter of violations of the Indus Waters Treaty to international courts.
Among those who attended the meeting were Anwar Kamboh, Sharif Nizamani, Javed Riyari, Mian Shadab, Saifullah Gul, Mir Soobdar, Moheb Ali Mari, Abdul Raheem Dars, Abdul Razzaq Abrejo, Khan Mohammad Kamboh, and Jahan Khan Laghari.
