Protests continue in Sindh against Pak govt's Indus River canal project

Road transport and judicial operations have come to a standstill in various districts of Sindh as protests against the Pakistan governments proposed Indus River canal project continued to spread across the province Geo News reportedPeople are protesting against the project as it will divert the Indus water in Punjab thereby decreasing the downstream supply to SindhLawyers have said that sitins will continue until the government formally cancels the project The sitin by lawyers in Khairpur entered its ninth day at the Babarlou Bypass on the National HighwayTwo sitins continue in Ghotki one by nationalist groups at the Mangrio Pump site near Daharki and another by lawyers at the SindhPunjab border near Kamo ShaheedThe two groups have said that the protests will continue until a notification confirming the projects cancellation is not released despite assurance given by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that no canal would be constructed without consensusShehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a meeting in Islamabad on Thursday following weeks of unrest in Sindh Geo News reportedWhile addressing a joint press conference Sharif said that no canal will be built until there is consensus in the Council of Common Interests CCI He announced that the next CCI meeting will he held on May 2 to formally endorse the agreement reached with PPPMeanwhile the ongoing protests joined by members of the civil society have resulted in the complete suspension of goods transport between Sindh and PunjabThe Sindh Bar Council announced a strike across the province disrupting legal proceedings Courts in Hyderabad Larkana Nawabshah Jacobabad and other cities were boycotted and the City Court remained shut even on Friday Litigants were distressed as Hundreds of cases were adjourned without hearingThe transport blockade has also impacted other parts of Pakistan More than 1000 containers belonging to the textile sector carrying exporting and importing goods remain stranded in Faisalabad due to road closures in Sindh causing a shortage of raw materials and disrupting factory productionSpeaking to Geo News the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce termed the situation grave and requested Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Army Chief General Asim Munir and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to intervene in the matterHe warned that continued disruptions could cause harm to the economy of Pakistan and requested all concerned authorities to help restore operations promptly He said We understand the government is trying to bring improvement but such incidents are damaging our exportsatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params