KARACHI: A protest on the main Superhighway, now called M-9 motorway, against water shortage triggered hours-long traffic jams in Sohrab Goth on Monday, according to traffic police and witnesses.

A traffic police spokesperson in a statement said that the main road near Al-Asif Square was blocked due to the protest, which disrupted the flow of traffic and led to a severe traffic jam on Shahrah-i-Pakistan towards Sohrab Goth and surrounding areas.

The blockade of the main highway continued for a couple of hours as both of its tracks were blocked.

The traffic police said that the protesters dispersed and the road opened for traffic at around 8:17pm.

The protest was led Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan MNA Iqbal Mehsud against water theft and shortage in Sohrab Goth for a considerable period.

He said that water theft from “bulk lines” has become a “routine matter”.

The lawmaker demanded action against top management and officials of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2026