Widespread Protests Erupt in Pakistan Over Disputed Canal Projects

Sindh, Pakistan: Thousands of protestors took to the streets across Pakistan’s southern Sindh province this weekend, rallying against controversial federal plans to construct new canals diverting water from the Indus River. The protests, led by Sindhi nationalist groups, have paralyzed transportation networks, shut down businesses, and disrupted rail services in several districts.

The demonstrations, which began earlier this week, escalated on Saturday with coordinated strikes and sit-ins in key cities including Jamshoro, Kotri, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze, Kandhkot, and Jacobabad. Protestors have accused the federal government of threatening Sindh’s water security by approving canal projects that would redirect already limited river resources to other provinces, particularly Punjab.

In Khairpur, protestors blocked railway tracks, halting the Awam Express train en route from Lahore to Karachi. A major sit-in at Babarlou Bypass has entered its third day, drawing participation from political activists, lawyers, writers, intellectuals, and women. The protest has choked the highway that links Sindh with Punjab, causing massive traffic jams and stranding travelers.

“We will not allow a single drop of our water to be stolen,” said one demonstrator, waving a Sindhi flag and chanting slogans against what many see as a systemic deprivation of provincial rights.

Nationalist parties, including Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz and Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party, have accused Islamabad of violating the spirit of federalism and ignoring constitutional guarantees for equitable water distribution. Protest leaders are demanding an immediate halt to the canal projects and have threatened to intensify their movement if their concerns are not addressed.

The federal government has yet to issue a formal statement in response to the unrest, though officials in the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) have previously argued that the projects are critical for addressing national water shortages and supporting agriculture.

The Indus River, a lifeline for millions in Pakistan, has long been at the center of provincial tensions. Sindh, located downstream, has often accused the federal government and upper riparian provinces of mismanaging or monopolizing the flow, especially during dry seasons.

As the protests show no signs of abating, analysts warn of deepening political rifts and the risk of further destabilization unless dialogue is initiated between the center and Sindh’s leadership.