Hyderabad Crackdown Sparks Outrage Following Peaceful Protest Over Indus River Water Crisis
The Indus River, long subjected to exploitation, has repeatedly been deprived of its natural flow, plunging Sindh into persistent water scarcity. In a renewed move to divert its waters, further canal excavation has been initiated, triggering serious concern and backlash from various sectors in Sindh. In response to the controversial canal-diversion project, the Hyderabad Bar Association organized a peaceful demonstration on Thursday. The protest was marked by the active participation of Hyderabad’s legal community alongside MQM workers, migrant youth, senior citizens, mothers, sisters, and children. The demonstration concluded without incident, with all participants dispersing peacefully.
Later that night, however, the Sindh government’s police and intelligence agencies launched an aggressive crackdown across Hyderabad. A number of MQM workers and protest participants were reportedly arrested in the sweeping operation, which remains ongoing. These developments have sparked severe condemnation from political voices and civil society alike.
Addressing the issue during his 238th Intellectual Session on TikTok, Altaf Hussain denounced the crackdown as a form of political persecution and urged President Asif Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, and Governor Kamran Tessori to halt these oppressive measures. He posed a stark challenge: either stop the arrests and release all detainees to demonstrate opposition to the canal-diversion plan or continue suppressing dissent and affirm complicity in compromising Sindh’s rights to Indus waters.
MQM SUPREMO Altaf Hussain accused the Pakistan People’s Party government of betraying Sindh by selling out its resources, looting the treasury, bankrupting the nation, and now targeting those who dare to demand justice.
He called on all citizens regardless of political, religious, or professional affiliation to speak out against the arbitrary arrests and support the immediate release of those detained.
He emphasized that the Indus River is not the exclusive right of any one group but is the lifeblood of all communities living in Sindh, including Muhajirs, Baloch, Punjabis, and Pashtuns. These groups live, work, and rest in Sindh, and must come together to oppose any attempt to divert the river’s course or deny its flow to the province.
Altaf Hussain appealed to lawyers across the province to offer legal aid to those arrested and assured the families of detainees that the Legal Aid Committee, in collaboration with the Hyderabad Bar, will stand by them in their fight for justice. He also addressed Major General Muhammad Shamraiz Khan, Director General Rangers, urging that the paramilitary force not be used to implement unlawful directives from the provincial government. He expressed concern over the growing rift between the armed forces and the public and stressed the need to restore trust and unity.
Concluding his address, Hussain expressed his deep appreciation for all the citizens of Hyderabad. Men, women, youth, and elders who bravely stood up in defense of Sindh’s water rights through peaceful protest.