Islamabad:
While the demonstrations are raging in the Sindh, the Common Interest Council (CCI) “haste” was not clearly announced that the six -channel project was completely abandoned, but it simply approved a previous position of the federal government that the project will only proceed if a consensus between the provinces and the CCI is carried out.
The carefully designed declaration published after the 52nd CCI meeting did not specifically indicate that the six -channel project is fully completed because it only judged that “the provisional approval of the Ecnec” and “Irsa’s Water Availability” are returned, with instructions to the planning division and the IRSA to consult all actors, respond to any concern be reached “.
The CCI – the highest constitutional body empowered to decide, to formulate and regulate policies concerning interpromice and central questions – was previously planned on May 2, but due to the worsening of the situation in the Sindh due to the protests in progress against the six -channel project, it met on Monday.
As decided at the meeting of April 24 between PM Shehbaz Sharif and the president of the PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, on the question of the six channels, the CCI simply approved the decisions taken at the Shehbaz-Bilawal meeting of the PM, in which it was decided that “no new channel will be built without claiming the CCI among the provinces of Pakistan.
The CCI “approves the policy of the federal government”, an official declaration published after the meeting, adding that “the federal government has decided that no new channel will be built without mutual understanding of the CCI. It has been decided that the federal government will not yet progress until mutual understanding will not have evolved among the provinces.”
The CCI met at the PM house with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the president and assisted by the deputy minister of the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, the Federal Minister for Kashmir, Gilgit -Baltistan, engineer Amir Muqam and four provincial ministers – Syed Ali Shah, Maryam Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz Sarfara
“Given the above, after the deliberations, the Council decided that the provisional approval of the ECNEC dated February 7, 2024 for the construction of new channels and the IRSA water availability certificate issued at its meeting dated January 17, 2024,” said an official statement published after the 52nd CCI meeting said.
Subsequently, he said: “The planning division and the IRSA are responsible for consulting all stakeholders, in the interest of national cohesion and responding to all concerns until mutual understanding is reached.”
He also declared that the federal government “hires all provincial governments to draw a long -term consensual roadmap for the development of agricultural policy and water management across Pakistan”.
He noted that the water rights of all the provinces are devoted in the water distribution agreement-1991 and the water policy-2018; With the consensus of all stakeholders. Subsequently, to appease the concerns of all the provinces and to guarantee the food and ecological security of Pakistan, it was decided that a committee was formed with a representation of the Federation and all the provinces.
The declaration said that the Committee will propose solutions to Pakistan’s long -term agricultural needs and the use of water from all provinces in accordance with the two consensus documents. The forum noted that water is one of the most precious products and that manufacturers of the Constitution have recognized this, demanding that all water disputes be resolved amicably by mutual understanding and the concerns of any province must be treated by reasonable diligence among all stakeholders.
The problem was addressed at the CCI meeting, because the PPP expressed serious reserves in terms of channels, which was initially envisaged to meet the irrigation needs of the Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI) in the Cholistan desert. The project was inaugurated by the chief minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, and the chief of staff of the army (COAS) Gen Asim Mnnir on February 15.
During the meeting, the CCI also strongly condemned the “unilateral, illegal and irresponsible actions of India after the attack by Pahalgam”. The press release indicates that the CCI, while expressing national aspirations, sent a message of unity and solidarity to the whole country and the nation in the context of Indian actions and all aggression by India.
“Pakistan is a peaceful and responsible country, but we know how to defend ourselves,” said the CCI declaration, adding “all provincial ministers express national unity and solidarity in unison against the illegal actions of India”.
In the midst of political struggles, the forum also praised that the Senate had unanimously adopted a resolution against the illegal and irresponsible actions of India. “Pakistan has the right to protect its interests in water in the event of suspension of the Indus water Treaty and Pakistan water blocking,” said CCI.
On April 24, following the Indian decision to suspend the Industry Water Treaty, the federal government had decided to stop the controversial channel project until a consensus was reached between the center and the provinces on the question by the mutual understanding of the ICC.
Earlier, the CCI meeting was scheduled for May 2, but, at the request of the Sindh government due to an ongoing demonstration in the province, the meeting was called on Monday evening. The sit-ins and the blockade on key highways, which now last more than 10 days, disturbed the movement of goods between the Sindh and the Punjab, causing fuel shortages and food supplies. Blocked carriers reported growing damage to vehicles while demonstrations continued without resolution.
During the previous meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz and the President of the PPP, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, it was agreed that the federal government would not build new channels without mutual understanding of the CCI and that no stage would be crossed without the consent of all provinces. It has also been decided that CCI would ratify the decision in the coming days.
The decision helped end the mainstream of intestines and political uncertainty, which seized the country for several days. Nevertheless, the sit-in of lawyers in Babarlo ignites the national road in Khairpur continued and forced federal and Sindh governments on Thursday to convene a meeting of the CCI.
Previously, Bilawal had declared that three provinces had raised objections to the Kalabagh dam, and now, a joint decision has been made that “no channel will be built without mutual agreement”.
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Sindh -chief Minister Murad Ali Shah confirmed on Monday that the dispute on the construction of new channels had been resolved amicably, following high -level discussions between federal and provincial management.
Addressing the media after the meeting of the CCI, Shah expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for having taken the concerns of the Sindh seriously and addressing them. “I am grateful to the Prime Minister for recognizing the sensitivity of the channel issue,” he said.
The chief minister revealed that he was present at the meeting between the president of the PPP, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where it was agreed that no new channel project would get without mutual consensus among the provinces.
“It was decided that the federal government is not going forward with a new channel without consulting the provinces and obtaining an agreement,” said Shah.
He also declared that the water distribution agreement would be fully respected and that the federal government had withdrawn the previous approval of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) from February 7. “The planning division and the IRSA (Industry River System Authority) were responsible for consulting all stakeholders above all future move,” he added.
Responding to public concerns, Shah said that no money had been allocated or spent on the controversial project of the Cholistan Canal, refuting complaints circulating in political circles. “How to build canals when even a single roupie has not been spent?” questioned.
The CM also criticized attempts to politicize the issue, saying that President Asif Ali Zardari was unnecessarily trained in controversy. “President Zardari did not want to talk about this question, but took the opportunity to clarify during the joint session of the Parliament, declaring that no decision would be made without consensus,” said Shah, deprecating that even after clarification, attempts were made to sow confusion.
“I personally guaranteed that no channel is under construction, but some were still not willing to accept insurance,” he added.
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Addressing journalists after the meeting, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the chief minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, said that a reaffirmed commitment had been made to ensure equal water rights to all provinces.
During the meeting, he confirmed, the decision to build new channels of the Industry river had been withdrawn. “It was decided to solve the problems thanks to a mutual understanding,” he added.
Gandapur added that three of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa requests were approved to be included on the agenda of the next CCI meeting. He said that an exam of the National Finance Commission (NFC) will also be part of the agenda for the next session.
The chief minister also said that the agenda to recognize tobacco as an official culture will also be included at the next meeting. He described the inclusion of these requests on the agenda as a major victory for KP people.
