HYDERABAD: A wave of relief swept through Sindh on Tuesday as lawyers officially ended their ongoing protests, following the Council of Common Interests (CCI) decision to withdraw the controversial new canals project from the Indus River.
The decision marks a significant victory for the province, which had witnessed widespread protests over concerns regarding the project’s potential environmental and socio-economic impact.
The protests, led by the All Sindh Lawyers Action Committee, had seen hundreds of lawyers and activists staging sit-ins across various cities, demanding the halt of the proposed project.
The withdrawal of the project was hailed as a major victory, particularly by those at the Baberlo Bypass protest site in Khairpur, which had entered its 12th day. The protesters celebrated the development, seeing it as a triumph for Sindh’s unity and resistance.
The announcement of the end to the protests was made by the All Sindh Lawyers Action Committee, which confirmed that all sit-ins would be called off, except for the one at Baberlo Bypass. The committee clarified that while most protests and court strikes would cease by April 30, the Baberlo sit-in would continue until several other demands, including the cancellation of corporate farming projects, were addressed.
Sarfraz Metlo, a prominent lawyer leader, stated that talks with the Sindh government would take place in Sukkur in the coming days to push forward with the remaining demands.
These include the abolition of corporate farming, the withdrawal of legal cases against protesting lawyers, and the return of confiscated vehicles. The committee made it clear that while the withdrawal of the canals project was a positive step, the fight would continue on other fronts.
In Karachi, Aamir Nawaz Warraich, the President of the Karachi Bar Association, echoed Metlo’s sentiments, adding that although the Baberlo protest was still ongoing, it no longer posed a traffic disruption. Warraich reiterated that the cancellation of the new canals project should be followed by the cancellation of corporate farming initiatives, which had also sparked significant opposition.
The protests had taken a toll on the province, with over 40,000 vehicles stranded due to blockades. Traffic in many parts of Sindh, especially in areas like the Sindh-Punjab border, had been severely disrupted. However, following the CCI’s decision, protests at the Sindh-Punjab border and other regions ended, restoring normalcy to the roads.
The CCI’s decision came after mounting pressure from Sindh’s political and civil society leaders, who strongly opposed the federal government’s plan to construct new canals from the Indus River. The decision marks a major shift, as the CCI overturned an earlier decision by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), which had approved the canals project in February.
In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, it was emphasized that no new canals would be constructed without a mutual agreement among all provinces, underscoring the importance of consensus in managing the shared resources of the Indus River. The decision to review the canal project was widely praised as a victory for the people of Sindh, who had been vocal in their concerns over the environmental and agricultural impacts of such a project.
The withdrawal of the canals project has provided temporary relief, but the ongoing protests reflect a broader sense of dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of key issues related to Sindh’s resources and development. While Sindh’s lawyers have ended their province-wide protests, they remain vigilant and committed to continuing their advocacy for the protection of Sindh’s rights and resources.
As the province returns to a more peaceful state, discussions around corporate farming and the rights of Sindh’s people are likely to continue. The Baberlo Bypass sit-in, although smaller in scale, is expected to serve as a focal point for these discussions, marking the ongoing struggle for Sindh’s autonomy and the protection of its natural resources.
The victory in the canals dispute is a reminder of the power of collective action, and as the lawyers prepare to resume their work in the courts, their resolve to protect Sindh’s interests remains as strong as ever.
