SUKKUR: Lawyers’ sit-in at Babarloi bypass on National Highway in Khairpur entered the sixth consecutive day on Wednesday as activists of nationalist and religious parties continued protests against federal government’s plan for the construction of six canals on the Indus River by blocking highways and roads with sit-ins and staging rallies in several Sindh towns.

In Thatta, activists of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl staged a sit-in on National Highway at Makli Bypass where the party’s Sindh general secretary, Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro, demanded immediate withdrawal of corporate farming and canals projects.

He warned that the party’s protest movement would intensify if authorities failed to reverse the decision and announced a phased plan of his party to block highways across Sindh, beginning with Kashmore-Kandhkot section of the highway on April 24, followed by Ghotki on April 25 and Sukkur on April 26.

He said that federal ministers had now approached the party seeking dialogue but the talks would begin only after a formal notification had been issued cancelling the canals project.

He said the canals projects were unconstitutional as they had bypassed key regulatory bodies, including the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), the Council of Common Interests (CCI), and the Indus River System Authority (Irsa).

In Nawabshah district, activists of Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz staged a demonstration on National Highway at Kandiaro where the party chairman Sanan Qureshi said that the people of Sindh rejected the canals project and asked the federal government to shelve it immediately.

He said that everyone living in Sindh, speaking any language or following any sect was a Sindhi and it was his or her responsibility to raise voice against the project.

In Amri, activists of several nationalist parties blocked Amri-Qazi Ahmed road and demanded immediate withdrawal of the canals project.

Members of a paramedical association boycotted duties in Halani and other centres wore black armbands and boycotted duties.

In Larkana, activists of Peoples Youth Wing and Sindh Peoples Students Federation staged a procession in Kennedy Market. Aijaz Leghari, chairman of district council, recounted PPP’s sacrifices for democracy claiming that the party had been protest against the canal since its inception.

Members of civil society and activists of different political parties continued their sit-in at sugar mill bypass in Naduero on the third consecutive day on Wednesday. The students of Government College Naudero also joined the sit-in.

In Badin, activists of Awami Tehreek and Sindhyani Tehreek staged a rally in Sanghi Pharo.

The party chief Vasand Thari and other leaders demanded abolition of Special Investment Facilitation Council and repeal of the Board of Investment Amendment Act 2023.

Thari said that institutions like the CCI were dominated by Punjab’s rulers, sidelining the interests of smaller provinces. Corporate farming under SIFC was displacing local farmers, he said.

He criticised the PPP for misleading Sindhis with concocted statements about canals, asserting that the people of Sindh would continue their peaceful struggle.

He reiterated the party’s demands for revocation of Irsa’s water availability certificates, repeal of the Peca Act, Board of Investment Amendment Act 2023, and 26th Amendment.

Now, federal ministers were trying to weaken the movement by offering negotiations on the issue but Sindhi people would not fall for their insincere offer and defeat their conspiracy.

PPP leaders meet protesters

Lawyers’ leaders asked PPP delegation, who visited them at the Babarloi bypass, Khairpur district, that the ruling party should give an ultimatum to the federal government and take a decision either to stand by people or with the federal government.

The delegation comprising PPP provincial president Nisar Khuhro, veteran leader Khursheed Shah and his son Farrukh Shah invited lawyers’ leaders to participate in the party’s procession in Sukkur.

The lawyers’ leaders said to the delegation that PPP should give an ultimatum to the federal government. “Corporate farming is a provincial issue and Sindh minister can cancel the agreement,” they said.

Advocate Shafqat Rahim, head of the lawyers’ committee, said the decision to take part in PPP procession would not be made by a single individual. “Whatever decision the lawyers’ committee takes, we will inform the PPP by the evening,” he said.

AT, GDA activists join lawyers’ sit-in

A large convoy of Grand Democratic Alliance activists led GDA Sindh General Secretary Sardar Rahim, GDA Sukkur President Faqeer Inayat Buriro and others reached Babarloi and joined lawyers’ sit-in.

A large number of workers of Awami Tehreek and Sindhyani Tehreek led by advocate Sajid Hussain Mahesar, AT central general secretary, and Umrah Samoon, Sindhyani Tehreek’s central president, participated in the sit-in at Babarloi.

Another sit-in in progress in Kandhkot

Another sit-in staged by Lawyers’ Alliance and All Parties Movement on Kandhkot section of the National Highway entered the third day.

Lawyers Abdul Ghani Bijarani, Akram Bajkani, Dilmurad Dahani, Zareet Sagar Bijarani and others, who led the sit-in, stressed until and unless the order to cancel the controversial canals was issued, the protest would continue.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2025