In parts of Sindh, protests against the contentious canal project on the River Indus have paralyzed cross-country traffic, stranding thousands of trucks, forcing manufacturers to halt production due to shortages of raw materials, and port authorities to warn of an imminent congestion crisis, according to Dawn.

National roads in a number of Sindh regions are still blocked despite attempts to disperse protesters, 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. Despite authorities’ verbal promises of a delay, protesters have not been persuaded by them so far.

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 province 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 are to 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 blockage persists, the wider supply chain interruptions can intensify into a major catastrophe affecting many industries.