Protesters block Aseefa Bhutto’s convoy in Jamshoro; several arrested

Hyderabad: Police have registered an FIR and arrested several individuals after a group of protesters blocked First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari’s convoy at the Jamshoro toll plaza on Thursday.

According to the Jamshoro SSP, Aseefa Bhutto, the youngest daughter of President Asif Ali Zardari, was travelling to Nawabshah when her convoy was stopped by demonstrators protesting against the federal government’s controversial canals project.

The SSP said the protesters were angry and hit the vehicles in the convoy with sticks, though Aseefa’s vehicle was safely escorted away within a minute by police.

The canals project, which aimed to divert water from the Indus River, sparked widespread protests across Sindh. In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last month confirmed that no new canals will be built without consensus in the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

Tensions eased after the CCI rejected the project on April 28, overturning a previous decision made by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in February.

Following the CCI's decision, many lawyers and political groups ended their protests, welcoming the outcome. However, some nationalist parties continue to protest, demanding formal cancellation and reassurance that the project will not be revived.

The police said investigations are ongoing, and more arrests may follow based on video footage from the scene.