The All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association urged immediate government intervention as prolonged road blockades due to protests against canal projects in Sindh have stranded thousands of cargo vehicles, severely disrupting commercial activities.
Muhammad Owais Chaudhry, president of the association, warned that extended road closures pose serious safety risks, especially for hazardous cargo like oil, gas, and coal tankers. He explained that prolonged exposure of these vehicles to intense heat could trigger fires or explosions, endangering lives and property.
Chaudhry criticised authorities for ignoring repeated calls to address the crisis, urging the prime minister, army chief, and chief justice to swiftly intervene by reopening roads and relocating stranded vehicles to secure locations. He emphasized the need to promptly restore transportation routes to resume essential business activities and supply chains.
Earlier on Sunday, Sindh police attempted to disperse protestors staging sit-ins at various locations along National, Indus, and Mehran highways. These demonstrators, opposing construction of six new canals from the Indus River for corporate farming in Punjab’s Cholistan region, resisted police action, maintaining their positions.
During operations in areas like Kandhkot, Pakka Chang, and Moro, riot police fired teargas and baton-charged protestors, who responded by throwing stones. At least 10 demonstrators were detained in Pakka Chang, while media representatives complained of harassment, alleging their phones were confiscated by police during coverage.
The Sindhu Darya Bachayo Tehreek, a key protest group, responded by calling for province-wide demonstrations against police actions, adding that protests would continue until the canal projects were officially cancelled by the government. Convener Syed Zain Ali Shah condemned police tactics, asserting that force would not end the protests.
Nationalist and opposition leaders, including Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party Chairman Dr Qadir Magsi and Qaumi Awami Tehreek President Ayaz Latif Palijo, also criticised the police crackdown, cautioning authorities against escalating tensions. Palijo claimed public support for the anti-canal protests exceeded that of historic movements like the MRD in the 1980s.
Lawyers leading the main sit-in at Babarloi bypass in Khairpur vowed they would disperse only once the government formally withdrew plans for the canals.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PHMA) expressed grave concern, noting the prolonged disruption had caused severe financial losses. PHMA Chairman Abdul Hameed said thousands of export-bound containers were stuck on highways leading to Karachi Port, threatening significant economic damage and potentially massive job losses.
He appealed directly to federal and provincial leaders, including the prime minister and army chief, demanding immediate measures to end road blockages and protect Pakistan’s vital export sector.
Traffic authorities confirmed partial reopening of one route from Thatta to Karachi late on Sunday, though disruptions continued elsewhere, forcing drivers to seek alternative routes. Heavy police deployment remained at protest sites.
