Federal Govt Withdraws Indus Canals Plan After Unanimous CCI Decision

The federal government has officially withdrawn its plan to build six new canals from the Indus River following a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday.

The meeting was convened earlier than initially scheduled, at the request of the Sindh government, and included the four provincial chief ministers-Maryam Nawaz (Punjab), Sarfraz Bugti (Balochistan), Murad Ali Shah (Sindh), and Ali Amin Gandapur (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)-along with federal ministers Ishaq Dar, Khawaja Asif, Amir Muqam, and 25 special invitees.

“No new canals will be constructed without mutual understanding and consensus among all provinces… Centre will not move forward with any plans until a comprehensive agreement is reached between the provinces,” stated a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office following the all-important CCI meeting.

The CCI deliberated on a six-point agenda, focusing significantly on the controversial canals project, which had sparked widespread protests and opposition, especially from Sindh, due to concerns over water distribution and potential downstream shortages.

After thorough discussions, the council reached a unanimous decision to scrap the canal project.

The federal government formally retracted the plan and agreed that no further canal construction would proceed without mutual consensus among all provinces.

Additionally, it was decided that a technical committee will be formulated to develop a future course of action regarding water management, ensuring collaborative and consensus-driven policy-making in line with the 1991 Water Apportionment 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,” it added.

In light of these discussions, the CCI has also decided to return the provisional ECNEC approval granted on February 7, 2024, for the construction of new canals, as well as the IRSA water availability certificate issued on January 17, 2024.

This decision follows months of protests, sit-ins, and strikes in Sindh, which had severely disrupted transport and economic activities. The withdrawal aims to ease tensions and promote dialogue among provinces on water resource management.