Babarloi Dharna
| 2025 Babarloi sit-in | ||
|---|---|---|
| Part of Sindh's rights | ||
| Date | 18 April – April 29, 2025 | |
| Location | ||
| Caused by | Controversial Canals on Indus River, Green Pakistan initiative and Corporate farming | |
| Goals | Cancellation of Green Pakistan initiative Corporate farming | |
| Methods | Sit-in | |
| Parties | ||
| ||
| Lead figures | ||
Sarfaraz Maitlo Aamir Nawaz Warraich Sindhi Inam (Sindh Sabha) | ||
| Casualties | ||
| Injuries | 4 | |
| Other protests | ||
The Babarloi Sit-ins was a series of protests held at Babarloi bypass near Sukkur, Sindh began on 18 April 2025 which was primaritly led by lawyers, students, nationalist organizations, and civil society groups opposing the Pakistan's federal government’s plan to construct six new canals on the Indus River under the corporate farming.[1][2][3][4] The protest caused significant discruptions, particularly causing traffic at the National Highway near Khaipur, blocking movement between Sindh and Punjab.[5][6]
Background
The proposed canal project was announced as part of a $3.3 billion investment by the Green Pakistan Initiative, led by Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif and army chief General Asim Munir in 2023.[7] The plan was to modernize the current Pakistani agriculture sector.
Timeline
April 18-20
Demonstrations against the canals project started in the Barbaloi region with thousands of people led mainly by lawyers, nationalist groups, and civil society organizations.[2][6]
April 21-24
On April 22, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ruled that they will not allow construction of the canals.[8]
April 25-29
The Pakistani government halt all ongoing progress surrounding the canals. Even so, protesters still continued the sit-in, rejecting the government's proposal. The head of the Sindh United Party (SUP) stated, ""The announcement made by the prime minister and Bilawal Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is ambiguous".[1]
April 30
The Karachi Bar Association and Sindh High Court Bar Association ends their sit-in after talks with a Sindh government delegate.[5]
References
- 1 2 "Sindh unmoved as sit-ins go on". Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Lawyers to stage sit-in at Babarloi Bypass today against canals project". 17 April 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Canal protesters fend off police crackdown". 28 April 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Lawyers give federal govt 72-hour ultimatum to cancel canals project". 22 April 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Lawyers protesting canals project end Khairpur sit-in". 30 April 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- 1 2 Bawa, Jagmeet; Yadav, Priyanshu. "India's Strategic Recalibration: Indus Waters Treaty Placed In Abeyance – Analysis". Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ Sengupta, Arjun. "Why Pakistan has put its ambitious canals project on hold". Retrieved 9 June 2026.
- ↑ "Canals project 'placed on back burner' until consensus". 25 April 2026. Retrieved 10 June 2026.