The anti-canal movement in Sindh gained further momentum on Sunday with province-wide highway blockades and a complete shutter down strike in major districts. Demonstrators protesting against the controversial canal project blocked several points of the National and Indus highways, causing widespread disruption in Karachi, Jamshoro, Dadu, Shikarpur, Matiari, Khairpur, Larkana, and Thatta.
A major sit-in led by the legal fraternity continued at Baburlu bypass in Khairpur for the third consecutive day. Local residents showed strong solidarity by providing food, drinks, and even setting up a medical camp to support the protesters battling intense heat.
Also Read: Sindhi Language Exam Paper Leaked Before Schedule in Shikarpur
Tensions escalated when unknown assailants fired gunshots near the lawyers’ camp early Sunday morning. The attackers, traveling in unmarked vehicles, escaped the scene. Despite video evidence capturing the incident, police remain unaware of the culprits’ identity. Karachi Bar Association President Amir Nawaz Warraich, who is leading the protest, accused the same group of previously issuing threats.
Warraich warned that if the federal government fails to cancel the canal project by April 21, lawyers might call for railway track blockades or a complete court boycott across Sindh. In support, the Sindh Bar Council announced a one-day boycott of courts on April 21.
Meanwhile, a province-wide strike called by Jeay Sindh Qaumi Movement (JSQM) saw complete closures in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Sukkur, and Larkana. JSQM leader Sanan Qureshi hailed the public response, calling the strike a “referendum” against the canal plans. Federal Minister Kheal Das Kohistani acknowledged the legitimacy of Sindh’s concerns and assured dialogue to resolve the dispute.
