Canals project: PM Shehbaz chairs 52nd meeting of Council of Common Interests
The 52nd session of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) commenced in Islamabad on Monday, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presiding over the meeting, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
The meeting, summoned by PM Shehbaz, will address the ongoing debate over the suspension of the controversial canal project on the Indus River.
Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon had earlier confirmed the agenda, highlighting the urgent need to resolve the inter-provincial dispute that has strained relations between Sindh and Punjab.
The meeting was earlier scheduled for May 2.
However, Memon announced today the meeting was called on the request of the Sindh government.
The chief ministers of all four provinces have been invited to participate in the meeting. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Science and Health Minister Mustafa Kamal will also attend the meeting.
On Thursday, PM Shehbaz said the government is pausing the key canal irrigation project, adding that no new canals will be built until a special committee formed to address concerns on the project reaches a consensus.
The premier made the announcement during a joint press conference with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, emphasizing that no unilateral decisions would be made on canal projects without provincial consensus.
The 1991 Water Apportionment Accord is a significant agreement that controls the distribution of water from the Indus River across all provinces of Pakistan.
The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has the accountability of applying this water accordingly and addressing any disputes that arise in connection with it.
Meanwhile, sit-in protests and shutter-down strikes continued in different cities of Sindh against the six controversial canals issue.
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