Latest news with #Rs211.4
Express Tribune
28-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
CCI overturns canal project approval amid Sindh's strong opposition
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pictured with K-P CM Ali Amin Gandapur, Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah, Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz, and Balochistan CM Sarfraz Bugti at the Prime Minister's Office in Islamabad on April 28, 2025. Courtesy: PTV Listen to article The Council of Common Interests (CCI) on Monday 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 new 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 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. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur welcomed the move, saying, 'It has been decided to resolve issues through mutual understanding.' He confirmed that some of K-P's demands, including the recognition of tobacco as a formal crop and the review of the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, would be added to the next CCI agenda. The decision comes amid widespread protests across Sindh over the canals project. The plan to construct six canals at an estimated cost of Rs211.4 billion faced strong resistance from the Sindh government and nationalist groups, who warned that the move would deprive Sindh of its rightful share of water. Sit-ins and blockades at key highways, now lasting over 10 days, have disrupted the movement of goods between Sindh and Punjab, causing shortages of petrol and food supplies. Stranded transporters reported increasing damage to vehicles as the protests continued without resolution. Despite PM Shehbaz's assurances to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that no new canals would proceed without consensus, protests on the ground have intensified, highlighting deep-rooted distrust and regional tensions over water distribution.
Express Tribune
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Federal, Sindh govt agree to talks on contentious canal project
Listen to article In a significant development, the federal government has agreed to initiate dialogue with the Sindh government to address concerns over the controversial canal projects. The breakthrough came during a phone call between Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah and Sindh's Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon. Both leaders expressed commitment to resolving the dispute through peaceful negotiation. Rana Sanaullah stated that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif had instructed the centre to address Sindh's reservations. 'The federal government supports fair resource distribution among all provinces,' he said, reiterating that no province's water can be diverted unlawfully. Sanaullah emphasised that the issue should not be politicised, adding that the 1991 agreement and IRSA Act safeguard provincial rights. 'Dialogue and consultation are the solution to every problem,' he said. Sharjeel Memon said that the PPP and the people of Sindh hold serious concerns about the proposed canals. He reaffirmed Sindh's position on the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord and welcomed federal dialogue efforts. The dispute centres on a federal plan to construct six canals diverting water from the Indus River to irrigate the Cholistan desert. The Rs211.4 billion project aims to cultivate 400,000 acres of barren land but has sparked strong opposition in Sindh. Earlier, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari warned the party might exit the ruling coalition if its concerns were not addressed. Bilawal fired a warning shot at the ruling ally's bows, demanding immediate scrapping of the controversial canals project or the PPP will abandon the government, leaving it stranded and severing all ties. "The PPP is demanding that the federal government should immediately stop the controversial canals project and accept our objections, otherwise the PPP won't go along with you," he cautioned at his party's public meeting in Hyderabad on Friday evening. Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Saturday said that the controversial canal project would die down before the 2025-26 federal budget.
