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Business Recorder
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Canals project: PM Shehbaz chairs 52nd meeting of Council of Common Interests
The 52nd session of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) commenced in Islamabad on Monday, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presiding over the meeting, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office. The meeting, summoned by PM Shehbaz, will address 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.
Hans India
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Pakistan: Protests in Sindh intensify over canals issue, no outcome in meeting chaired by Sharif
The protests in Pakistan's Sindh against the construction of controversial new canals on the Indus River intensified Monday with the province cut off from the rest of the country and thousands of goods vehicles left stranded on the national highway. The Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting called by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also ended without any major outcome even as the provincial government of Pakistan People Party (PPP) in Sindh threatened to leave the federal government if it continued with its plans of construction of canals. The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers of four Pakistani provinces, along with finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar. The intensity of the ongoing protest across the Sindh province has been increasing with each passing day, as the National Highway connecting the province with Punjab remains blocked for days, leaving at least 12,000 goods vehicles stuck and stranded. The protest is being supported by Nationalist and opposition parties, who have vowed to continue them until the federal government cancels its plans to build new canals on the Indus. The All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Associations has called on the government for immediate intervention as prolonged road blockades due to protests have stranded thousands of cargo vehicles, severely disrupting commercial activities. "Extended road closures pose serious safety risks, especially for hazardous cargo like oil, gas, and coal tankers. Prolonged exposure of these vehicles to intense heat could trigger fires or explosions, engendering lives and property," said Muhammad Owais Chaudhry, President of the transport owners associations. PM Shehbaz Sharif has assured PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that no unilateral decision would be made regarding canal construction without agreement among the provinces. The 1991 Water Apportionment Accord governs water distribution from the Indus River among provinces, with the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) responsible for its implementation and dispute resolution.
Express Tribune
28-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
PM Shehbaz summons CCI meeting today as canal protests continue
Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday convened a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to address the controversy over the construction of new canals on the Indus River, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said. The meeting, initially scheduled for May 2, was called upon the request of the Sindh government and is set to take place in Islamabad later today. Chief ministers from all four provinces, along with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Health Minister Mustafa Kamal, are expected to attend. Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the suspension of new canal projects until a special committee, formed to review concerns, reaches a consensus. He stressed that no unilateral decisions would be made regarding canal construction without agreement among the provinces. The 1991 Water Apportionment Accord governs water distribution from the Indus River among provinces, with the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) responsible for its implementation and dispute resolution. Meanwhile, sit-in protests and shutter-down strikes continued across various cities in Sindh against the proposed construction of six new canals. Earlier, Sharjeel Inam Memon, urged all political parties and the lawyers' community to reopen roads to ensure smooth transport of goods and prevent further economic losses. He warned that the closure of highways is severely impacting the public, livestock movement, import-export activities, farmers, and the poor. 'The closure of highways has severely impacted the public, livestock, imports, exports, farmers, and the poor," Memon stated, urging that steps be taken immediately to restore traffic. Memon praised the 'tireless efforts and effective strategy' employed by Bilawal, which he said had successfully resolved the canal dispute. He emphasized that the issue has now been completely addressed. "This issue will be permanently closed following the official CCI meeting," he said.
Business Recorder
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Canals project: PM Shehbaz summons CCI meeting today, says Sharjeel Memon
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif summoned on Monday the long-delayed meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to address the ongoing debate over the suspension of the controversial canal project on the Indus River, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon announced on Monday. The meeting was earlier scheduled for May 2. However, Memon announced today the meeting was called on the request of the Sindh government. The CCI is set to take place this evening in Islamabad, he said. 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.
The Print
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Pakistan halts Cholistan canal project amid Indus treaty pause. Why it faces a dual crisis
The treaty signed between in 1960 has endured two wars, and acted as a peace mechanism between the neighbours. New Delhi: In the wake of a diplomatic standoff with India and growing internal unrest, Pakistan halted the contentious Cholistan canal project Thursday, a day after India unilaterally decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance. However, even before India's announcement, the sharing of waters was at the centre of domestic disputes in Pakistan. The Cholistan project involves construction of six canals—two each in Pakistan's Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan—to irrigate millions of acres of desert land. Five of the canals will draw from the Indus River, while the sixth will use the Sutlej River, which is primarily controlled by India under the IWT. The project, under the Green Pakistan Initiative, is backed by the Pakistan army and was launched by Army Chief General Asim Munir and Maryam Nawaz, chief minister of Pakistan's Punjab province, in February. It aims to irrigate southern Punjab's Cholistan region. The launch of the project sparked outrage and protests, particularly in Sindh, a lower riparian province facing chronic water shortages. The Sindh assembly passed a resolution in March, and leaders of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) joined protests, warning of disastrous consequences. With India's attempts to alter the IWT and surging domestic tensions, Pakistan now faces a dual crisis—external hostility and internal fragmentation. Also Read: Pahalgam attack deserves retaliation. India can borrow from US, Israel playbook Pakistan's domestic concerns Sindh fears that the new canals would violate the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord in Pakistan, which guarantees equitable water distribution among its provinces. Sindh is estimated to face a 40-45 percent annual water shortage, exacerbated by upstream diversions and the federal government's alleged failure to enforce water rights. Sindh leaders have argued that Punjab's unilateral canal construction undermines federalism and threatens the livelihoods of millions in the Indus River Delta. Following India's decision to hold IWT in abeyance, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and chairman of ruling coalition ally PPP Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Thursday announced that no further work would be done on the canals projects until a consensus was reached on the issue at the Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting on 2 May, Dawn reported. Bilawal welcomed the move as a win for provincial rights, but opposition parties in Pakistan dismissed the announcement as a political manoeuvre. Conflicting claims about the canals' water sources have added to the confusion. The government has argued that the project will channel surplus monsoon floodwater from the Sutlej River. Critics, however, remain skeptical, citing the 1991 accord, which Sindh argues already allocates 23 percent less water to it. The IWT led to domestic rivalries, with Pakistan ceding control of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej Rivers to India. The 1991 water accord sought to balance allocations on the mean annual flow (MAF)—the average yearly flow of water through a river or stream, crucial for managing reservoirs, water supply and resources. Under it, Punjab receives 55.94 MAF, Sindh 48.76 MAF, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 5.78 MAF (plus 3 MAF from ungauged canals) and Balochistan 3.87 MAF. However, uneven implementation persists, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lacking infrastructure to fully utilise its share, and Sindh accusing Punjab of over-extracting water, leading to barren fields and the encroachment of saltwater in the Indus Delta. The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) and the CCI were set up in 1992 to mediate such disputes, and Article 155 of Pakistan's Constitution mandates formal resolution of interprovincial conflicts. Pakistan's vulnerability Tensions over the Indus River's waters date back to pre-Partition, with disputes among Punjab, Sindh, Bahawalpur and Bikaner during British colonial rule. After Partition, these conflicts evolved, leading to the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. Under the treaty, India controls the eastern rivers—Sutlej, Ravi and Beas—while Pakistan manages the western rivers, Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. According to Pakistan's plan, one of the new canals will be fed by excess floodwaters from the Sutlej. As Pakistan increasingly depends on the shared waters for food and water security, its vulnerabilities are mounting. A 2021 UN Food and Agriculture Organization report highlights that the country saves just 10 percent of its river water compared to the global average of 40 percent. It also withdraws nearly 75 percent of its renewable water resources—making it one of the most water-stressed countries in the world. As India expands upstream infrastructure and climate change disrupts river flows, Pakistan's reliance on the Indus system is becoming increasingly critical. Bilawal condemned India's IWT announcement, calling it not only illegal, but also 'against humanity'. 'We will stand united with you (people of Sindh), advocating for Pakistan's case both on the streets and internationally, and we will give a strong response to India's decision,' he reportedly said. (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: Pausing Indus Treaty might send a message to Pakistan, but India must speed up projects to reap benefits
