Daily Times

LAHORE: Haqooq-e-Khalq Movement (HKM) staged a symbolic protest demonstration under the titled “Paani Do, Vote Lo: Water Emergency Protest Camp” in front of Lahore Press Club, on Sunday.

HKM is a Pakistan-wide campaign for the enforcement of the fundamental rights listed in our constitution. The campaign is focused on organizing at grassroots level and building momentum around issues pertaining to the fundamental rights of the citizens.

Around 100-130 protestors including students, activists, teachers and people from different walks of life attended the four hour long protest camp. On the occasion, a nine points Citizens Charter of Demands for clean water was presented.

According to the charter of demands, each political party should include the water crisis issue in their election manifestos as a priority and strict action should be taken against factories and businesses involved in polluting water. The protestors also demanded that the influence of all companies associated with water-business like Nestle and Aquafina be checked.

Moreover, the charter of demands called for the installation of new water pipelines in the city and the formulation of a transparent and public friendly plan to store water. The protestors demanded that the responsibility of delivery of water be handed over to the government instead of private companies. They also called for fair distribution of water in the country.

The protestors also demanded that government institutions which monitor the supply and distribution of water be held accountable. The last demand listed in the proposed charter was that the authorities keep in mind the basic needs of the nation before initiating developmental projects.

During the protest, participants held up placards inscribed with different slogans like “defend water commons,” “water is our basic right,” “water is life” and so on. Protestors said that the time for empty rhetoric was over and it was time for action now.

“Pakistan is water-stressed and we may run out of water by 2025. Over 40 per cent of deaths in Pakistan are attributed to water-borne disease; many of the dead are children,” said a protestor.

HKM’s Ammar Jan told Daily Times that the purpose of the camp was to raise awareness among the society and encourage citizens to take stand for their rights in front of politicians and concerned organizations and departments.

He added that one of the aims of HKM was to encourage citizens to ask political candidates questions about their basic rights in days preceding the elections. “Democracy will be strengthened in this way,” Ammar added.

Published in Daily Times, July 2^nd 2018.