Faisalabad Chamber Chief Urges End to Sindh Highway Closures

Rehan Naseem Bharara, President of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has stated that the ongoing closure of major highways in Sindh over canal disputes lacks justification. This follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of a Council of Common Interests meeting scheduled for May 2 to address the issue.

Bharara emphasized that in a democratic system, conflicts should be resolved through constructive dialogue. He lauded the Prime Minister’s initiative to convene the Council of Common Interests meeting as a means to find a democratic resolution to the canal dispute.

He noted that the initial demand of the protesters was for a legal and constitutional resolution of the contentious issue via the Council of Common Interests. With the government now scheduling such a meeting, the continued road blockades are unwarranted. These closures, he argued, are significantly impacting both exports and imports, thereby inflicting damage on the national economy.

Bharara further explained that exports are crucial for revitalizing the nation’s economy, and obstructing this process is counterproductive and ultimately detrimental to the protesters themselves.

He suggested that the protesters might be pursuing a hidden agenda. He urged the Sindh government to take swift and effective action to resolve the situation, warning that a prolonged impasse could halt export growth and negatively affect economic recovery efforts.

Bharara revealed that the highway closures have already stranded a substantial number of export containers, resulting in an estimated $2 billion in trade losses. He cautioned that if the roads are not promptly reopened, the country’s economic challenges will intensify.