When protests rage in Sindh, the “rapidly called” advice fell for common interests (CCI) Monday, clearly, announcing that the six-canal project was completely abandoned, rather a previous attitude towards the federal government that the project will continue only if a consensus among the provinces and CCI has been achieved.

The carefully designed statement issued after the 52nd meeting of CCI did not specifically declare that the six-channel project is fully beyond, as it only decided that the “preliminary ECNEC approval” and “Irsa’s Water Advisibility Certificate” are returned, with directions to the planning department and IRSA to consult with all interests concerning any concerns ” Mutual understanding is reached ”.

CCI’s highest constitutional body authorized to decide, formulate and regulate policies regarding interprovinsial and Center-Province-Questions previously scheduled to meet on May 2, but due to deterioration of the situation in SINDH due to the ongoing protests against the six-canal project, it met on Monday.

As decided at the April 24 meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over the six-channel question, CCI simply approved the decisions made during PM Shehbaz-Bilawal meeting where it was decided that “there are no new channels that will be built without understanding CCI” and the government and the government, ” Pakistan will not move further until it is continued that no consensus is needed.

CCI “supports the federal government’s policy,” an official statement released after the meeting, adding that “the federal government has decided that no new channels will be built without mutual understanding from CCI. It has been decided that the federal government will not move further until mutual understanding has been developed among the provinces.”

CCI met in the Prime Minister with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chairman and participated by Deputy PM & Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Federal Minister of Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan, Engineer Amir Muqam and four provincial Ministry Ministry Syed Murad Ali Shah, Maryam Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, Maryam, Maryam Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz, Mary, Maryam Nawaz, Maryam Nawa Sarfaraz Bugti and Ali Amin Gandapur.

“Given the above, the Council decided, after considering, that the preliminary ECNEC approval dated 7 February 2024 for the construction of new channels and IRSA -water availability certificate issued at its meeting dated January 17, 2024, will be returned,” an official statement was issued after the 52nd CCI meeting.

Then it said, “The Planning Department and IRSA are corrected to secure consultation with all stakeholders, in national cohesion and to tackle any concern until mutual understanding is reached.”

It also said that the federal government “engages all provincial governments to map a long-term consensus schedule for the development of agricultural policy and water management infrastructure over Pakistan.”

It noted that wandering rights for all provinces are enshrined in the water distribution Accord-1991 and Water Policy-2018; with consensus for all stakeholders. Subsequently, to allay the concerns of all provinces and to ensure Pakistan’s food and ecological security, it was decided that a committee of representation from the federation and all provinces was set up.

The declaration stated that the committee will propose solutions to Pakistan’s long -term agricultural needs and water use of all provinces in accordance with the two consensus documents. The forum noted that water is one of the most precious ingredients and that the creators of the Constitution recognized this, requiring all water to be solved in all -proof through mutual understanding and concerns of any province to be treated through due diligence among all stakeholders.

The question was taken up at the CCI meeting, as PPP has expressed serious reservations about the Canals’ plan, which was originally intended to meet the irrigation need for the Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI) in the Cholistan Desert. The project was inaugurated by Punjab chief minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff (Coas) Gen Asim Munir on February 15.

During the meeting, CCI also strongly condemned India’s “unilateral, illegal and irresponsible actions after the Pahagam attack”. The statement said that CCI, while expressing the national hopes, sent a message of unity and solidarity to the whole country and the nation in the context of Indian actions and any aggression from India.

“Pakistan is a peaceful and responsible country, but we know how to defend ourselves,” the CCI declaration reads, adding “All provincial chief ministers express unity and national solidarity Unisont against India’s illegal acts.”

In the midst of political attacks, the forum also praised that the Senate has unanimously adopted a decision against India’s illegal and irresponsible actions. “Pakistan has the right to protect his water interests in the event of suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and blocking Pakistan’s water,” CCI said.

On April 24, in the wake of the Indian relocation to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, the federal government had decided to stop the disputed channels until a consensus was reached between the center and the provinces of the question through mutual understanding of CCI.

Previously, the CCI meeting was scheduled for May 2, but at the request of the Sindh government due to a continuous protest in the province, the meeting was called on Monday night. Sit-ins and blockades on key roads that now last over 10 days have disturbed the movement of goods between Sindh and Punjab, causing a lack of gasoline and food supplies. Stranded carriers reported increasing damage to vehicles as the protests continued without dissolution.

At the previous meeting between PM Shehbaz and PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, it was agreed that the federal government will not build new channels without mutual understanding from CCI and that no step would be taken without the consent of all the provinces. It was also decided that CCI would ratify the decision in the coming days.

The decision had helped to end the political struggle and uncertainty that seized the country for several days. Nevertheless, the lawyers’ sit-in at Babarloi Bypass continued at National Highway in Khairpur and forced the federal and SINDH governments to call the CCI meeting on Thursday.

Earlier, Bilawal had said that three provinces had raised objections to the Kalabagh dam, and now a joint decision was made that “no channels will be built without mutual agreement”.

Sindh cm

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah confirmed on Monday that the dispute over the construction of new channels has been resolved after high-level discussions between the federal and provincial leadership.

In a speech with the media after the CCI meeting, Shah expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for having taken the concerns of Sindh seriously and addressed them carefully. “I am grateful for the Prime Minister for recognizing the sensitivity of the channel question,” he said.

The main minister revealed that he was present during the meeting between PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, where it was agreed that no new channel project would continue without mutual consensus among the provinces.

“It has been decided that the federal government will not move forward with any new channel without consulting the provinces and reaching agreement,” Shah emphasized.

He further stated that the Water Distribution Agreement would be fully respected and the federal government had drawn the former executive committee for National Economic Council (ECNEC) approval from February 7. “The planning department and IRSA (Indus River System Authority) have been instructed to consult all stakeholders before any future traits,” he added.

Shah clarified that no or spent on the controversial Cholistan Canal project, where they had been awarded or used on the controversial Cholistan Canal project and rejected demands circulating in political circles. “How could ducts be built when a single rupie wasn’t even used?” He asked.

CM also criticized attempts to politicize the question and said that President Asif Ali Zardari was unnecessarily drawn into the controversy. “President Zardari did not want to talk about this question, but took the opportunity to clarify during Parliament’s joint session, stating that no decision would be made without consensus,” Shah said, complaining that even after the clarification, attempts were made to sow confusion.

“I personally guaranteed that no channel is being built, but still some were unwilling to accept the insurance,” he added.

Kp cm

In a speech with journalists after the meeting, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur said a confirmed obligation was made to ensure equal wandering rights for all provinces.

During the meeting, he confirmed, the decision to construct new channels from the Indus River was withdrawn. “It’s decided to solve problems through mutual understanding,” he added.

Gandapur added that three of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s requirements were approved to be included in the agenda for the next CCI meeting. He said a review of the National Finance Commission (NFC) prize will also be part of the next session’s agenda.

The minister also said that the agenda for recognizing tobacco as a formal crop will also be included in the next meeting. He called the inclusion of these demands in the agenda as a great victory for KP people.