Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has moved up a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) initially scheduled for May 2 to today (Monday), on the request of the Sindh government.
In a statement, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon confirmed the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, would now take place in Islamabad today. He said the proposed Cholistan canals project would be discussed and the Sindh government expected the meeting to finalize a decision on the matter.
Admitting that the request to move up the meeting was taken in light of the economic impact of ongoing road closures in Sindh, he lamented this had halted the transport of goods, hurting both businesses and farmers. He thanked the federal government for agreeing to the Sindh government’s appeal as protests persist, with demonstrators claiming they would remain on the streets until the CCI’s decision was made public.
Maintaining that the Sindh government believes in dialogue, he hoped the protests would end once the CCI meeting issues its decision.
Ongoing protests
The federal government had initially announced plans to construct six canals on the Indus River to irrigate the Cholistan desert and utilize its land for agricultural activities. The issue became controversial after the PPP, Sindhi nationalist parties and civil society demanded it be scrapped over the belief it would reduce the water available for Sindh. The center has repeatedly denied this, maintaining water for the project would be drawn from Punjab’s share.
Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and agreed to not proceed on any new canals unless consensus could be achieved in a meeting of the Council of Common Interests. However, despite this assurance, sit-ins against the project that have blocked major highways in Sindh, hampering transport and trade, are continuing, entering their 11th day on Monday.
Several business bodies have urged the Sindh and federal governments to resolve the situation, warning of significant economic losses as the protests continue. The ongoing blockade has already severely impacted the transportation of essential goods, including petrol and food, with trucks and trailers stranded. This has also led to increased difficulties for commuters and transporters.
Reports have also emerged of livestock perishing en route due to their vehicles being left stranded amidst an ongoing heatwave. Exporters, in particular, are noting that the situation is worsening Pakistan’s image abroad and risks derailing the progress toward economic stability of the past year.