Protests against a controversial canal project on the Indus river have brought traffic to a standstill in parts of Sindh
Karachi: Thousands of trucks are stranded, manufacturers are stopping production because of a lack of raw materials, and port authorities are warning of an imminent congestion crisis as protests against the contentious canal project on the River Indus continue to paralyze cross-country traffic in parts of Sindh, according to Dawn.
Despite attempts to disperse protesters, national roads in several Sindh regions remain blocked, seriously impairing supply networks. Nationalist parties, attorneys, and civil society organizations are among the protesters who have pledged to keep up sit-ins until the federal and Sindh governments formally withdraw the planned canal project. Authorities have not persuaded protesters so far, despite their verbal promises of a delay.
Thousands of heavy trucks are reportedly stranded in lengthy lines in the districts of Kandhkot, Kashmore, Ghotki, Sukkur, and Khairpur, according to reports from Sukkur. Despite the Sindh government’s repeated pleas for demonstrators to vacate the roads, manufacturers and transporters voiced irritation about the impasse.
To examine the consequences of the continuing demonstrations, President Asif Ali Zardari met with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in Karachi on Sunday. According to those with knowledge of the conversation, the chief minister informed the president of the steps the provincial government is taking to restore order and address public concerns, and he expressed his worry about political parties allegedly taking advantage of the situation for “vested interests.”
The All Pakistan Goods Transport Alliance has announced a rally outside the Sindh Chief Minister’s House today (Monday) at 4 p.m. as part of the carriers’ plans to intensify their protest. According to Dawn, a Karachi Port Trust (KPT) official issued a warning that export cargo was no longer coming in and that imported products were piling up at the port as a result of blocked roadways. If the scenario continues, there might be significant traffic jams.
Conditions for drivers and workers stranded with their cars deteriorated, according to transporters. An estimated 30,000 trucks and oil tankers were rendered immobile, leaving 90,000 to 100,000 drivers and assistants stuck for more than ten days without proper access to food and water, according to Nisar Jafry of the All Pakistan Goods Transporters Association.
He went on to say that, whether for internal distribution, export, or import, a single truck usually transports commodities valued at around Rs 10 million.
Jafry reportedly claimed that more than 100 sacrificial animals were killed as a result of the protracted congestion and that demonstrators had destroyed dozens of stalled automobiles. He said that he was contacted by Sindh Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, who asked that the planned rally on Monday be called off and promised to take action to clear the roads as soon as possible.
To avoid more economic harm, Minister Memon called on the legal community and political parties to lift the road blockades in a statement released on Sunday. He said that if sit-ins continue, they should be organized in a manner that permits free traffic flow. “The public, livestock, import and export sectors, farmers, and the poor are being severely affected due to the closures,” he added. Industry and business associations are also raising the alarm.
According to Dawn, officials from the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC), the Fertilizer Manufacturers of Pakistan Advisory Council, and the Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce and Industry have all issued warnings that logistical interruptions are causing a situation that is becoming worse.
An OCAC spokesperson said that although between 800 and 1,000 oil tankers are among those stuck, an acute fuel crisis is not yet anticipated. But if the embargo persists, the wider supply chain interruptions can intensify into a multisectoral disaster.