Islamabad : The Common Council of Interests (CCI) on Monday accepted Sindh ‘s demand and rolled back controversial project of new six canals . Prime minister , Shahbaz Sharif , chaired the meeting. CCI is the most important forum that decides any key issue. Particularly, this forum decides those issues which relate to federation and its units .
Taking the same approach Sindh had been demanding calling meeting of CCI over canals issue. Sindh has launched public protect against the new canals project and it facilitated the masses in the province to stage protests. As a part of its policy, it facilitated the public to block the roads in the province.
This road blockade is continuing for the last two weeks . Since the launch of road blockades Pakistan has already suffered loss of hundreds of billions of rupee. The protestors who are staging the protests are still blocking the roads .
CCI meeting was attended by all chief ministers and some of the federal ministers. Soon after CCI meeting , Khyber Pukhtunkhaw (KPK) chief minister , Amin Gandapur Amin Gandapur , said CCI has accepted Sindh ‘s demand of rolling back the new canals project. He added that every province will get its water share.
Defence minister , Khawaja Asif , also spoke on decisions taken in CCI meeting . He said CCI decided to rollback six canals project . He noted that there will be no controversial projects and the project of new canals will not be launched without creating concensus among the provinces.
Sindh Chief minister , Murad Ali Shah , talked to the media on CCI decision of rolling back six canals project. He thanked prime minister , Shahbaz Sharif , for accepting the Sindh’s demand to end up controversial new canals project. He said Planning Commission and IRSA have been directed by CCI to create concensus among the stakeholders (The provinces) before launching the new canals project. He slammed the media and some elements for what he turned as “Propaganda” over the new canals project”. He claimed that there was no money released and used on the controversial six canals project.
CCI also discussed the situation created by India in the wake of Pahalgam attack and condemned India’s war -hysteria statements. It also expressed full suppert to the armed forces to give full force response to any possible Indian aggression against Pakistan .
Following is the official handout of CCI meeting.
The Council of Common Interests (CCI) chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif rejected the plan to dig new canals from the Indus River.
A meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in which the four provincial chief ministers, federal ministers Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif and Amir Muqam participated. 25 people attended the council meeting on special invitation.
A 6-point agenda was considered in the meeting of the Council of Common Interests. The council considered the agenda item of the Sindh government on the plan to dig new canals.
The Council of Common Interests rejected the plan to dig new canals from the Indus River. The council rejected the February 7 decision of ECNEC regarding canals, and the matter will be sent back to IRSA.
Notice of the Council of Common Interests meeting issued
A notice of the meeting of the Council of Common Interests chaired by the Prime Minister has also been issued.
According to the statement, the 52nd meeting of the Council of Common Interests was held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister. The Council strongly condemned India’s unilateral illegal and irresponsible actions after the Pahalgam attack. The Council conveyed a message of unity and solidarity for the country and nation in the context of possible Indian aggression and misadventure.
The Council of Common Interests says that Pakistan is a peaceful and responsible country, we know how to defend ourselves.
According to the statement, all provincial chief ministers have resolved to stand by the federal government against Indian actions.
The Prime Minister has stopped the construction of new canals, making the project conditional on mutual agreement of the provinces.
The statement said that no new canal project will be started without the mutual approval of the Council of Common Interests, and the federal government will not make further progress in this regard without mutual agreement between all the provinces.
According to the announcement, the federal government is preparing an agricultural policy roadmap in collaboration with the provincial governments. The government is preparing a long-term agreed roadmap for the development of the water resources management structure in the country. The water rights of all provinces are protected in the 1991 Water Sharing Agreement. These rights have been protected with the consent of the parties in the 2018 Water Policy.
The announcement said that a committee is being formed to address the concerns of the provinces and ensure food and environmental security. The committee will have representation from the federation and all provinces. The committee will propose solutions to the long-term agricultural and water needs of the provinces. The proposed solutions will be in accordance with both the agreed documents. The approval of the ECNC for the construction of new canals will be withdrawn on February 7, 2024. The IRSAC certificate related to this will be withdrawn in the meeting on January 17, 2024.
The statement said that water is a valuable asset, the framers of the constitution have made it mandatory that water-related disputes should be resolved amicably, the concerns of any province will be removed in consultation with all the concerned parties, Pakistan has the right to protect its water interests in the event of suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and water being stopped.
It should be noted that this meeting was to be held on May 2, but on the request of the Sindh government, the Prime Minister called the meeting today.
Talking to the media after the meeting, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur said that there is good news for the people of Sindh that the letter from IRSA has been withdrawn, the commitment to give water rights to all provinces has been reiterated, the decision to build canals on the Indus River has been withdrawn.