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PFF launches weeklong River Day campaign
PPI
KARACHI: A large number of fisherwomen, hailing from coastal and riverine forest areas, thronged the huge gathering on Friday to pay tribute to the River Indus stream and scattered ponds.
The people carrying rose petals and garlands reached the Sujawal Bridge, popularly known as Makhdoom Bilawal Bridge to see the river, which cannot stream to benefit the tail-end people.
The activity organized by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) to inaugurate the one-week long celebrations of International Rivers Day, falling on March 14, 2014.
The main gathering with hundreds of people, artistes, communities, youth groups, civil society, environmentalists and academia will take place at the famous picnic resort Al-Manzar, Jamshoro on 14th. PFF chairperson Mohammed Ali Shah, Quriat Mirza, Ruqqaya Usman, Zulekha Ghulam Hussain, Fatima Majid, Sami Memon, Talib Kachhi, Shahzado Otho and others led the procession to the stream.
The women with traditional colourful dress performed dance on the tunes of songs on the occasion, attracting other people to join them. PFF spokesman said the similar activities will be organized in the similar way at different waters, the river banks and canals with demands to restore the natural flow of the river, as tail end communities, Indus Delta and those people residing at the wetlands are facing hunger and poverty. The delta is experiencing mass migration due to impacts of climatic change and accusing government of launching mega water projects on the river, stopping their water share at up streams. PFFs weeklong campaign with the theme of Restoration and Freedom of Rivers links the global theme Rivers Unite Us will end at 14th. The other activities have been planned at the river bank and areas of lakes in Kashmor, Sukkur, Kambar, Jamshoro, Manchhar, Sanghar, Umerkot and other districts, where the community people will have colourful gatherings to show their love to the river streams. PFF chairperson Mohammed Ali Shah said they celebrate the day with enthusiasm to attract hundreds of community people to give message to the Pakistan government and the world nations to see the river Indus, which is being chained in to the dams and barrages.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk