No more canals on the Indus River, declares CCI

The Council of Common Interests (CCI) has rejected the federal government’s proposal to construct new canals from the Indus River, overturning an earlier decision by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) made in February.

“No more canals will be constructed without mutual understanding and consensus among all provinces,” stated a release from the Prime Minister’s Office following the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The CCI also strongly condemned the unilateral, illegal, and irresponsible steps of India after the incident of Pahalgam. While representing the national aspirations, the CCI gave a message of unity and solidarity to the nation in the backdrop of the illegal Indian measures and in case of any kind of aggression by a hostile country.

The CCI stated that Pakistan was a peaceful and responsible country, but it also knew how to defend itself. All the provincial chief ministers expressed unity and national solidarity in a unified voice against the illegal acts of India.

The CCI fully welcomed the resolution in the Senate against the illegal and irresponsible steps of India.

“Pakistan has the right to protect its water interests in view of the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty and stoppage of its water,” the council noted.

The high-level meeting, convened early at the request of the Sindh government, was attended by the chief ministers of all four provinces, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Federal Minister Ameer Muqam, and other officials.

The CCI agreed to withdraw provisional approval for the project and announced the formation of a federal-provincial committee to propose long-term agricultural and water management solutions in line with the 1991 Water Accord and the 2018 Water Policy.

“The government is committed to resolving all water-related disputes amicably, ensuring that the concerns of any province are addressed through due diligence,” the statement added.