The protest sit-in at Babarloi Bypass, led by the All Sindh Lawyers Action Committee, today entered its 11th consecutive day, causing a complete suspension of goods transport between Sindh and Punjab and inflicting a loss of over Rs500 billion so far.
Initiated on April 18, the demonstration opposes the federal government’s decision to construct six new canals on the Indus River and the associated corporate farming initiatives, citing threats to Sindh’s water rights and agricultural sustainability.?
Key leaders spearheading the sit-in include Karachi Bar Association President Amir Nawaz Warraich, Sindh High Court Bar Association President Barrister Sarfaraz Maitlo, and Sindh Bar Council Vice President Shafqat Rahim Rajput.
The protest has garnered support from various political and civil society party including Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, Sindh United Party, Qaumi Awami Tehreek, PPP-SB, JUI-F Sindh, Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party and Sindhyani Tehreek.
Protesters demand the immediate cancellation of the canal projects and corporate farming plans, asserting that these initiatives violate the 1991 Water Accord and threaten the ecological balance of the Indus Delta.
Despite Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement to halt canal construction pending consensus in the Council of Common Interests (CCI), demonstrators remain steadfast, insisting on a formal notification to annul the projects. Lawyers have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the federal government, warning of intensified actions, including potential railway blockades, if their demands are not met.?
The sit-in has significantly disrupted transportation, blocking the National Highway and halting traffic between Sindh and Punjab. Agricultural exports have been affected, with reports of 250 containers of potatoes stranded due to road blockages.
The protest has inspired similar demonstrations across Sindh, with activists from various towns staging rallies and sit-ins in solidarity. Civil society members, students, and professionals have joined the movement, providing resources and support to the protesters.?
nder the Green Pakistan Initiative.
The sit-in was initiated following a resolution passed during the All Sindh Lawyers Convention held in Karachi on April 12, 2025. Legal professionals from across Sindh had convened to oppose the federal government’s Green Pakistan Initiative, under which six new canals were proposed to be constructed on the Indus River. Protesters argue that the project threatens Sindh’s already scarce water resources, undermines the 1991 Water Accord, endangers agricultural sustainability, and promotes corporate farming at the expense of indigenous farmers.