The federal government has postponed its controversial channel building project under the Green Pakistan initiative and convened a meeting of the Council for Common Interest (CCI) on May 2 to discuss the matter with all provinces after sustained protests in Sindh.

According to a review issued on Friday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is chairman of the 52nd CCI meeting in the Prime Minister’s office.

The session brings together Vice Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister of Defense Khawaja Asif, Minister Amir Muqam and provincial chief ministers. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attorney General Azam Nazeer Tarar and Health Minister Mustafa Kamal will also be present with special invitees, including the ministers for oil, water resources and power.

The meeting comes a day after Prime Minister Shehbaz, flanked by PPP President Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, a press conference told that “no new channel will be built without consensus on the CCI platform.”

The insurance followed weeks of protests in Sindh over the federal government’s plan to build six channels to irritate Punjab’s cholistan region -a trait PPP leaders and civil society groups such as a threat to Sindh’s hiking rights.

Bilawal, along with Sindh cm Murad Ali Shah and senior PPP leaders, emphasized that channel construction must be based on inter-province consensus. The federal government, he said, would cooperate with all provinces to create a comprehensive long-term plan for the development of agricultural and water infrastructure.

In a separate press release on Friday, Shah declared the channel question “resolved,” and called on protesters to transform their demonstrations into the festivities. He said protests had disturbed the economy and recognized the federal government’s willingness to listen.

“We want to oppose any project that goes against Sindh’s interests,” Shah said, but added that dialogue and commitment had begun to bridge the skills.