The Council of Common Interests (CCI) will hold a meeting on May 2 to discuss the issue of canals. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will chair the 52nd CCI meeting. The meeting will involve the Chief Ministers of all four provinces, federal ministers, and senior officials.
The Sindh government had earlier demanded the meeting to address the controversial canals issue. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after meeting PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto, assured that no new canals would be constructed until the meeting. It was agreed that the CCI would meet on May 2, Friday.
The Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI) by the federal government aims to irrigate 1.2 million acres of land in southern Punjab. This $3.3 billion project includes the construction of six new canals. However, the initiative has faced strong opposition from various parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party and farmers’ groups.
Several stakeholders, including nationalist parties from Sindh and legal communities, have been protesting against the project. They argue that the new canals could harm the environment and local communities. The upcoming CCI meeting will likely be a crucial turning point in resolving this issue.
