<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Protests against the proposed construction of six new canals on the Indus River have gained momentum in Sindh province, as lawyers remain defiant despite recent assurances from the Council of Common Interests (CCI).</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lawyers leading the agitation dismissed the CCI&rsquo;s statement and have pledged to continue their sit-in at the Babarloi bypass in Khairpur district, where demonstrations have been ongoing since last week, according to local media outlets.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Originally slated for May 2, the CCI meeting was brought forward to Monday amid rising tensions and public unrest. However, instead of announcing a complete cancellation of the canal projects, the council merely reiterated that work would only proceed once an agreement is reached among all provinces, as reported by The Express Tribune.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">A statement following the session emphasized: "The CCI supports the federal government's approach. No new canals will be constructed unless mutual consent is achieved among the provinces. No further action will be taken without consensus."</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Speaking to reporters in the Kashmore-Kandhkot region, Barrister Sarfaraz Ali Metlo, President of the Sindh High Court Bar Association, stressed that the lawyers&rsquo; key demand remains the issuance of official notifications scrapping not only the canal initiatives but also corporate farming projects.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">&ldquo;Our position has been consistent &mdash; we seek formal, documented cancellation of both the canal development and corporate farming ventures,&rdquo; Metlo said. He warned that if the government continues to delay, the protests would expand and intensify across Sindh.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Advocate Sajjad Ahmed Chandio, a member of the committee representing the protesting lawyers, told The Express Tribune that the majority within the legal community had rejected the CCI&rsquo;s decision.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The CCI's announcement also failed to placate nationalist leaders and social activists, who similarly demand an unconditional halt to the projects.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Social activist Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Jr criticized the federal government's handling of the situation, saying: "The CCI meeting was called in haste, not to engage with the people&rsquo;s concerns but out of fear of their growing anger. The people's demands for cancellation have not been met."</span></div>

Legal community and civil activists reject CCI’s stance, demand immediate cancellation of Indus canal and corporate farming projects

Lawyers’ Uprising Gathers Steam in Sindh as Canal Project Standoff Deepens

Legal community and civil activists reject CCI’s stance, demand immediate cancellation of Indus canal and corporate farming projects

April 29, 2025 | 11:05 IST