Islamabad, April 28, 2025: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has convened an urgent meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) today to address the escalating controversy over the construction of new canals on the Indus River, Sindh’s Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon announced.
Originally scheduled for May 2, the meeting was advanced at the request of the Sindh government. It will take place in Islamabad and will be attended by the chief ministers of all four provinces, along with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Health Minister Mustafa Kamal.
Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz suspended all new canal projects pending a review by a special committee tasked with building provincial consensus. He reiterated that no unilateral decisions would be made regarding canal construction without the approval of all provinces.
The 1991 Water Apportionment Accord, which outlines the distribution of Indus River water among the provinces, remains the governing framework, with the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) responsible for its enforcement and dispute resolution.
Meanwhile, sit-ins and shutter-down strikes continued across several cities in Sindh to protest the proposed construction of six new canals.
Sharjeel Inam Memon appealed to political parties and the legal community to help reopen blocked roads to restore the movement of goods and prevent further economic disruption.
“The closure of highways has severely impacted the public, livestock movement, imports, exports, farmers, and the poor,” Memon said, calling for immediate measures to restore traffic flow.
Memon also praised the efforts of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, crediting his “tireless efforts and effective strategy” for resolving the canal dispute.
“This issue will be permanently closed following the official CCI meeting,” he stated.
