Lawyers in Karachi Continue Strong Protest Against Six Canals Project
Karachi, April 28 – The protest of lawyers against the controversial Six Canals Project is becoming stronger with each passing day. The Karachi Bar Association (KBA) has declared that the protest will go on until the project is officially canceled. Because of the protest, no legal proceedings are being held at the City Courts Karachi.
Court activities have been suspended at a number of city courts. In a statement, the KBA informed that lawyers met at Babarloo Bypass in Khairpur for an emergency meeting. Following a lengthy debate, they decided not to discontinue the protest. The next big decision will be taken on Friday, May 2, but until then, protests won’t be discontinued.
Amir Waraich, head of the Karachi Bar Association, said the protest would be stopped only if an official notification was issued by the federal government stating the Six Canals Project as canceled. He was accompanied by other leaders of bars across Sindh.
This is the tenth day of protest by Sindh lawyers. The Six Canals Project, which is part of the Green Initiative Programme, is being formulated in collaboration with China. It is opposed by most lawyers and citizens, citing concerns over land and local people.
In the meantime, things became volatile on Sunday as police attempted to break up protestors, including political party members and civil society members. The protestors reacted by pelting stones and wielding sticks. One police van was torched, and another was vandalized. Police units had to pull out of the area because the intensity of the confrontation was too much.
The protest continues to gain momentum throughout Sindh, as legal experts call for a clear reaction from the federal government.
