Farmers from Balochistan staged a sit-in at Sukkur Barrage on Saturday to protest the severe shortage of irrigation water, accusing the Sindh government and the Irrigation Department of failing to release water to canals supplying agricultural areas in Balochistan.
The protest, organised under the banner of the Sindh-Balochistan Hari Ittehad, was led by Mir Hassan Khan Shahilani. As the demonstration continued, traffic movement on the barrage remained suspended, causing disruptions for commuters.
Protesters chanted slogans against the Sindh government and the Irrigation Department, alleging that despite sufficient water being available at Sukkur Barrage, it was not being released into the Kirthar and Dadu canals.
Among those leading the demonstration were Mir Hassan Khan Shahilani, Mir Khalid Jamali, Mir Imran Jamali and other farmer representatives. They claimed that the water shortage had rendered millions of acres of agricultural land barren, while the scarcity of drinking water had also led to livestock deaths and forced many farming families to leave their homes.
The protesters said several areas of Balochistan were facing drought-like conditions and alleged that Sindh authorities were withholding water destined for the province.
A delegation from the Balochistan government, including Provincial Ministers Mir Sadiq Imrani and Saleem Khoso, reached Sukkur to assess the situation and hold discussions with officials.
Speaking to the media, Mir Sadiq Imrani said the delegation had received a briefing from the Sukkur Barrage administration regarding the water distribution issue. He stressed that farmers across Balochistan were facing severe hardships because of the irrigation water shortage and called for immediate measures to resolve the crisis.
Provincial Minister Saleem Khoso said barrage officials had assured the delegation that the issue would be resolved within the next few days. He added that he would travel to Karachi to meet Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to discuss the water crisis and seek a lasting solution.
The Balochistan ministers emphasised that ensuring the availability of agricultural water was of critical importance and urged the relevant authorities to take urgent steps to end the shortage and protect farmers’ livelihoods.
