National Highway reopens after three days, as Hyderabad lawyers end protest

The National Highway in Hyderabad was reopened to traffic after a three-day protest by lawyers, who had been demanding the transfer of a senior police officer.

The protest began after an FIR was filed against an advocate for using fancy number plates and tinted windows on his vehicle.

Lawyers staged a sit-in at the Bypass, blocking the roads and worsening the daily commute for residents.

They demanded the transfer of SSP Farrukh Lanjar. Several political and religious parties joined the protest, bolstering the lawyers' demand. 

Trader unions in Hyderabad, the second-largest city in Sindh after Karachi, issued statements in favor of the lawyers' demands.

Lawyers from Mirpurkhas, Tando Allah Yar, Mehrabpur, and Jamshoro also organized protests and sit-ins, blocking various highways.

The tension was resolved when the Sindh Police offered the formation of a judicial commission, and the lawyers conditionally agreed, demanding the transfer first.

Hyderabad DIG Tariq Razak Dharejo confirmed that SSP Lanjar's leave application was approved, and SSP Tando Mohammad Khan was given additional charge for Hyderabad. The lawyers ended their protest after being assured of the transfer.

In defence of the police, Sindh Police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon stated, “Police didn’t commit any wrongdoing and did what was required to do under the law.” He also lamented that the police department did not receive cooperation from society.

Memon emphasised that if the police had resisted, the situation would have worsened for commuters and residents of Hyderabad.

With the resolution, the roads are now open, offering much-needed relief to the citizens who had faced significant disruptions during the protest.