Karachi, April 26, 2025: Protests against the proposed canal project from the Indus River continued to intensify across Sindh on Saturday, crippling road transport and halting judicial operations in multiple districts.
Lawyers leading the demonstrations have vowed to persist with sit-ins until the government officially cancels the project.
In Khairpur, a sit-in by lawyers at the Babarlou Bypass on the National Highway entered its ninth consecutive day. In Ghotki, two separate sit-ins — one by nationalist groups at the Mangrio Pump site near Daharki, and another by lawyers at the Sindh-Punjab border near Kamo Shaheed — remained firmly in place.
Both groups have declared they will not end their protests until a formal government notification cancelling the project is issued, despite recent assurances by the prime minister.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a high-stakes meeting in Islamabad on Thursday amid mounting unrest.
At a joint press conference, PM Shehbaz announced that no canal would be constructed without consensus in the Council of Common Interests (CCI). He added that the next CCI meeting, scheduled for May 2, would formally endorse the understanding reached with the PPP leadership.
Meanwhile, the ongoing demonstrations have severely disrupted interprovincial trade, leading to a complete suspension of goods transport between Sindh and Punjab.
The Sindh Bar Council also called for a province-wide strike, leading to widespread disruption in legal proceedings. Courts across Hyderabad, Larkana, Nawabshah, Jacobabad, and other cities were boycotted, with Karachi’s City Court remaining locked even on Friday. Hundreds of cases were adjourned without hearings, leaving litigants stranded.
The transport blockade’s impact has rippled beyond Sindh. In Faisalabad, more than 1,000 containers belonging to the textile sector — loaded with export and import goods — remain stranded due to road closures.
Officials from the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce said the shortage of raw materials has already disrupted factory operations, while missed export deadlines have resulted in losses, with two export vessels reportedly missed in recent days.
Speaking to Geo News, the chamber’s president termed the situation “grave” and appealed for urgent intervention from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief General Asim Munir, and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.
He warned that prolonged disruptions could cause irreparable harm to Pakistan’s economy, stressing the need for immediate restoration of transport and judicial services.
“We understand the government is striving for improvements, but such incidents are seriously damaging our exports,” he cautioned.
