Two killed as protest against construction of canals on Indus River gets violent in Pakistan's Sindh

Karachi, May 21 (PTI) At least two people were killed and many injured when a protest against the construction of new canals on the Indus River turned violent in Pakistan's Sindh province on Wednesday, hospital sources said.

The protest by Sindhi Saba Nationalist Party turned violent in Moro city, Matiari and Naushera Feroze district after police used force to stop the protesters from blocking the National Highway.

At least six policemen were also injured as protesters pelted stones at the personnel, an official said.

Dr Yar Mohammad Jam­ali, the medical superintendent at Peoples Medical University Hos­­pital in Nawabshah, said at least five of the injured people had bullet wounds.

Angry protesters set vehicles on fire, looted goods trucks, ransacked a petroleum company office, and vandalised the house of Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, burning rooms and furniture, after the news of the death of two protesters spread.

Lanjar said the protest should be peaceful and not disrupt daily business or cause difficulties to the people.

“But violence will not be tolerated,” he added.

He further said the government had already announced the suspension of ongoing work on new canals and decided that no new canals would be built without clearance from all provinces. PTI CORR PY PY PY