The decision to keep the protests going came after the Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting, where the federal government agreed to pause the canal project until all provinces reached a mutual agreement. However, legal representatives rejected what they called a “vague and non-committal” statement, demanding an unambiguous, written order that permanently cancels the project.
Gathered at Babarloi Bypass in Khairpur, the lawyers said they are not convinced by temporary halts or unclear promises. The sit-ins, already in their 11th day, will continue throughout Sindh, with protest leaders warning they may escalate their actions—possibly blocking railway tracks—if their demands are not met.
Karachi Bar Association President Amir Nawaz Warraich confirmed the movement would continue and announced a lawyers’ strategy meeting on May 2 to plan further actions.
Support for the movement has grown beyond the legal community. Activists, teachers, students, and even political figures from parties such as PTI and nationalist groups have joined sit-ins and rallies in cities including Larkana, Kandhkot, Jacobabad, and Umerkot. Protesters condemned police crackdowns involving baton charges and teargas, especially those in Karachi and northern Sindh towns.
Awami Tehreek’s Noor Ahmad Katiar demanded the immediate cancellation of the 52,713-acre land allocation in Sindh to Green Corporate Initiative Pvt Ltd under the corporate farming scheme. He also called for scrapping the Board of Investment Ordinance Amendment Bill 2023 and the Special Investment Facilitation Council, saying both undermine Sindh’s autonomy.
In Umerkot and elsewhere, court proceedings have come to a halt as lawyers boycott hearings and block court entrances in protest. Numerous rallies were led by local political leaders, student groups, and civil society organizations, uniting in a call to defend Sindh’s land and the natural flow of the Indus River.
With public support growing and tensions high, Sindh’s legal community has made it clear: no end to the protests until the federal government issues a firm, written order scrapping the canal project for good.
