Karachi, April 26 – The Sindh Police on Friday failed to break the momentum of an ongoing protest led by Amir Wirraich, the President of the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) 2025, as hundreds of lawyers gathered to denounce police atrocities and resist the controversial Six Canal Project on the Indus River.
Despite a heavy police presence and attempts to contain the demonstration, lawyers held their ground in a powerful and peaceful show of resistance outside key government and police offices in Karachi. The protest was sparked not only by recent abuse of power and custodial violence by police but also by growing opposition to the canal project, which critics say threatens the very survival of Sindh’s agriculture and people’s water rights.
Addressing the gathering, KBA President Amir Wirraich strongly condemned the behavior of law enforcement agencies, saying, “Police should immediately end these atrocities against peaceful citizens and legal professionals. This is a blatant attack on the rule of law.”
Wirraich made it clear that the legal fraternity would not back down, declaring: “Lawyers will not end this protest until the government permanently scraps the Six Canal Project. This project is devoid of merit, bypasses local consent, and infringes upon the historical and constitutional rights of the Sindhi people. It is a direct assault on Sindh’s lands, water, and future.”
The controversial canal initiative has been widely criticized by farmers, environmentalists, and civil society groups for its potential to divert water away from Sindh’s already fragile irrigation system, thereby worsening water shortages and endangering agricultural livelihoods across the province.
The protest is expected to continue in the coming days, with increasing support from human rights organizations, student bodies, and civil society. The KBA has also hinted at the possibility of province-wide legal strikes and court boycotts if the demands are not met.
