Latest news with #CouncilofCommonInterests
Business Recorder
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Religious parties reject the Abraham Accords
ISLAMABAD: Leaders of various religious political parties, Wednesday, while condemning Israel's aggression against Palestine and Iran have rejected the Abraham Accords as well as the Two-State solution to the Palestine issue, saying they will strongly oppose any such move. Speaking at a National Consultation Conference organised by Milli Yakjehti Council (MYC), they also defended Iran's right to defend itself. In a declaration they warned of strong resistance to any attempt by the government of Pakistan to recognise Israel. The council also expressed concern over the steps allegedly being taken against religious seminaries. The declaration further stated that it was Iran's right to have a nuclear programme. It called upon the government to adopt a firm stance on the issues of Kashmir and Palestine. The council demanded the prime minister convene an all-parties' conference on the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Balochistan while demanding the production of all the missing persons countrywide. It also demanded that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) be activated again, asking the government to address the problems being faced by the flood-affected people. 'Interest-based system should be abolished and Islamic economic system must be enforced in the country,' read the declaration. The council said it rejected the laws stipulating punishments for marriages under the age of 18. It warned the government of a countrywide protest campaign in case it did not repeal the laws. The declaration also called for finding solutions to political issues through political means. 'Or, otherwise, the system would be in jeopardy,' it warned. Addressing the council meeting, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that interest-based system should be abolished by January 1, 2028. 'If the government does not keep its promise, we will take it to court,' he threatened, saying in that case things would become difficult for the government. He said that certain elements were trying to pave the way to change the status of Kashmir by abolishing formerly FATA status. Maulana Fazl said that geographical changes have begun in the region under a global agenda. He accused both the government and Taliban for drone attacks, saying common people were being targeted in such attacks by both sides. He said that the state should not back down even an inch in its stance while fighting against terrorism. He said that in KPK and Balochistan, there was no government existing owing to lawlessness. He said that in the past the people of Swat and Waziristan were forced to evacuate and migrate to other parts of the country as the state wanted to launch the military operation against the terrorists but this has not benefited as the terrorists have once again attained hold on certain areas. The conference also expressed serious concern over national as well as international issues and condemned recent incidents of violence countrywide. Speaking on the occasion, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the silence of Muslim countries on the ongoing genocide in Palestine amounts to indirect support for Israel. He emphasised the urgent need for Muslim states to adopt a bold and principled stance on global Muslim causes, including Palestine and Kashmir. 'The situation in Palestine is not just a regional issue—it is a battle for the liberation of Al-Quds,' he stated. 'Over 100 innocent Palestinians, including women and children, are being martyred daily under brutal Israeli bombings. Where are the so-called human rights champions of the West now?' He strongly condemned the Abraham Accords and warned that any move by Pakistan towards normalization with Israel would be met with strong resistance. 'Pakistan must never recognise Israel. Our founding father, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, called Israel an illegitimate child of the West,' he reminded. Highlighting the resilience of Hamas, Rehman declared, 'This is a war of truth versus falsehood. Hamas has acted within the framework of international law. We must clearly and unconditionally stand with them. Pakistan should even consider allowing Hamas to open a diplomatic office.' He criticised the US President Donald Trump's double standards, noting his swift response during Iran's counterattacks on Israel, while remaining silent when India committed aggression in Kashmir. 'Pakistan doesn't need any mediation by Trump when United Nations resolutions on Kashmir already exist,' he said, reaffirming that no compromise would be accepted on the Kashmiris' right to self-determination. The JI leader demanded that the government publicly disclose what practical steps it has taken to eliminate interest (riba) from the economy. 'There must be a strong and collective voice for the eradication of interest-based systems,' he urged. He also warned against attempts to weaken or repeal the blasphemy laws and protect offenders under the guise of legal reform. 'Any group or individual misusing these laws should be held accountable, but efforts to abolish or undermine them must be firmly resisted,' he said. Hafiz Naeemur Rehman praised Iran for its bold stance against Israeli aggression and called for Muslim unity across ideological and national lines. 'This is the time to awaken our rulers and stand with the oppressed—whether in Gaza or in Kashmir. Only a bold and sincere stance can restore the dignity and leadership of the Muslim Ummah.' Addressing the conference, Allama Arif Hussain Wahidi strongly condemned the killing of a man and a woman in Balochistan. He said that 19 men opened fire on a woman, calling it an act of cowardice rather than bravery. He demanded that those responsible be brought to justice and that the incident be pursued to its conclusion. Allama Wahidi also voiced concern over rising inflation, saying it has made life unbearable for the public. He urged the government to immediately reduce petrol prices and take effective measures to control inflation and ease the economic burden on citizens. Referring to Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, he said the operation had sent a strong message to India and delivered a firm response to the enemy. Other religious leaders at the conference also stressed the need for unity and solidarity in facing national challenges. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
K-P protests ouster of key hydropower projects
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has strongly protested the federal government's exclusion of two major hydropower projects from the Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2025-2035, calling the move retaliatory and unjust. In a letter to Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Owais Ahmed Leghari, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Energy, Engr Tariq Sadozai, expressed serious concern over what he termed the Centre's continued lack of cooperation in provincial energy initiatives. He highlighted the Gabral Kalam (88 MW) and Maden (157 MW) hydropower projects in Swat, launched under the World Bank-supported Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Hydropower and Renewable Energy (KHRE) program, are scheduled for completion in 2027. Both projects had previously been included in IGCEP 2021-30 and 2022-31 with the approval of ECNEC, the Council of Common Interests (CCI), and NEPRA. Terming their exclusion from the updated IGCEP 2025-35 a constitutional violation, Sadozai warned that such actions undermine provincial rights. He argued that if federal projects like Mohmand Dam, Dasu, and Tarbela 5th Extension are classified as "committed" in IGCEP, then the two K-P-based projects deserve the same status. The K-P government plans to raise the matter at the highest forum and has urged the federal government to immediately review its decision and restore the projects in the IGCEP framework.
Business Recorder
28-04-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Six-canal project officially dead in the water: Sindh CM
ISLAMABAD: The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah came out swinging on Monday, declaring victory in a bitter water war that had Sindh and the federal government on a collision course. After a high-stakes Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting, a smiling CM Shah, told reporters the controversial six-canal project – slammed by political opponents especially by opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Sindhi nationalist political parties as a backdoor water grab – is officially dead in the water. 'This was never about canals. Green Pakistan is about drip irrigation and quality seeds, not digging up the Indus,' Shah said, adding the CCI made the right call in slamming the brakes on the controversial project. 'No canal will be built without consensus,' he declared. 'This chapter is closed for now.' A beaming Shah declared the canal dispute 'resolved,' insisting the province's fears had been addressed, which is a good news for the people of Sindh. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur backed him up, confirming the federal government pulled its notification on the Indus River canal – a move that had sparked fury in Sindh. But the canal battle wasn't the only drama. Asked if he pressed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on freeing ex-prime minister Imran Khan, Gandapur said nope – the CCI meeting kicked off without delay and didn't go off-topic. Looking ahead, Gandapur said that KP's water share will be protected, and issues like tobacco revenue, hydropower, and national Finance Commission (NFC) distribution will take centre stage in the next showdown. Caught all smiles in a group photo with long-time political adversaries including Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz and her uncle, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Gandapur wasn't amused when pressed on his photo-op demeanor. 'Why do you care about my smile,' he shot back, shutting down the question with a smirk and a snub. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Arab News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan says won't build new canals, dousing row over key irrigation project
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's government on Monday decided not to build new canals on River Indus, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's office said, following weeks of protests in the southern Sindh province over the key irrigation project. Pakistan's government launched the ambitious agricultural project in February to build a network of six canals on the Indus. The government said it aimed to irrigate millions of acres of barren lands and ensure food security for 240 million people of the country. But critics said the project would trigger water shortages in the southern parts of the country, mainly Sindh. The project sparked protests by lawyers, civil society and supporters of nationalist parties that disrupted trade and traffic on National Highway in Sindh, forcing the government last week to pause it. On Monday, PM Sharif summoned a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), a constitutional body aimed at resolving the disputes between the federation and its provinces, to discuss the irrigation project and heightened tensions with New Delhi over a recent attack in Kashmir among other things. 'Federal Government has decided that no new canals will be built without mutual understanding from CCI,' Sharif's office said in a statement after the meeting. 'It has been decided that the Federal Government will not move further until mutual understanding is evolved among the provinces.' The development comes at a time when India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan that splits Indus River and its tributaries between Pakistan and India, threatening Pakistan's food security. Islamabad has described the move as an 'act of war' and said it would take 'all appropriate steps' to safeguard its due share of water. Sharif's office said the government was forming a committee to engage all provincial governments to chart out a long-term consensus roadmap for the development of an agriculture policy and water management infrastructure across Pakistan, adding that water rights of all provinces were enshrined in the Water Apportionment Accord-1991 and Water Policy-2018. 'The committee will propose solutions to Pakistan's long-term agriculture needs and water use of all provinces in line with the two consensus documents,' it said, adding that any concerns on the proposals would be addressed through due diligence among all stakeholders. 'Water is one of the most precious commodities and the makers of the constitution recognized this, mandating all water disputes to be resolved amicably through mutual understanding.'
Business Recorder
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
CCI halts controversial canal projects, mandates provincial consensus on water infrastructure
The Council of Common Interests (CCI) on Monday formally endorsed the federal government's policy requiring unanimous provincial agreement before initiating any new canal projects, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired an emergency 52nd session of the CCI at the Prime Minister's House, where all four provincial chief ministers unanimously condemned India's 'unilateral, illegal and irresponsible actions' regarding water sharing in the aftermath of the Pahalgam incident. The high-level council, serving as the constitutional forum for inter-provincial harmony, delivered a blistering rebuke to New Delhi: 'Pakistan is a peaceful and responsible nation, but we know well how to defend ourselves.' The statement came amid growing tensions over India's alleged violations of the Indus Waters Treaty. The council declared that the 'federal government has decided that no new canals will be built without mutual understanding from CCI. It has been decided that the federal government will not move further until mutual understanding is evolved among the provinces.' The ruling effectively suspends the controversial February 7, 2024, ECNEC approval for canal construction and voids IRSA's January 2024 water availability certificate, both now returned for reconsideration. The Planning Division and IRSA were directed to 'ensure consultation with all stakeholders, in the interest of national cohesion.' Emphasizing constitutional obligations, the CCI noted: 'Water rights of all provinces are enshrined in the Water Apportionment Accord-1991 and Water Policy-2018.' To operationalize this, a new committee with federal and provincial representation will draft a long-term agriculture and water management roadmap. The CCI's statement stressed: 'Concerns of any province shall be addressed through due diligence amongst all stakeholders.' Recognizing water as 'one of the most precious commodities,' the council framed its decision as safeguarding both Pakistan's food security and inter-provincial harmony. The PM Office reiterated that all future infrastructure plans must align with the 'consensus documents' governing water sharing. The verdict represents a victory for provincial rights advocates but delays critical irrigation projects amid worsening climate stresses. With the new committee's formation, however, stakeholders hope to break years of deadlock through structured dialogue. The meeting, summoned by PM Shehbaz, addressed 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.
