Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs the 52nd CCI meeting, condemns India's illegal actions, emphasizes national unity, and outlines major decisions on water management and agricultural development

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Chairs 52nd Meeting of Council of Common Interests, Strongly Condemns India’s Unilateral Illegal Actions

Reporter: Imtiaz Ali Abbasi | Date: April 28, 2025 | Posted by: Watts News, the Largest English Digital News Network Pakistan

Islamabad:
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired the 52nd meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) today at the Prime Minister’s House, Islamabad.

The Council strongly condemned India’s unilateral, illegal, and irresponsible actions following the Pahalgam incident. Reflecting the national aspirations, the CCI sent a powerful message of unity and solidarity across the country in response to any Indian aggression.

The Council declared that Pakistan is a peaceful and responsible nation but is fully capable of defending itself against any threats.

All four provincial Chief Ministers collectively expressed unity and national solidarity against India's illegal measures.

The CCI welcomed the resolution passed in the Senate condemning India's illegal and irresponsible actions.

The Council stated that Pakistan reserves the right to protect its water interests if India suspends the Indus Waters Treaty or attempts to block Pakistan’s water.

Decisions on New Canals:

During the meeting, the following important decisions regarding the construction of new canals were made:

The Council of Common Interests endorsed the federal government's policy, which states:
- No new canals will be constructed without mutual understanding among the provinces through CCI.
- The federal government will not proceed further until a consensus is achieved among the provinces.
- Efforts are underway to engage all provincial governments to draft a long-term consensus roadmap for agricultural development and water management infrastructure across Pakistan.
- The water rights of all provinces are protected under the Water Apportionment Accord 1991 and the Water Policy 2018.
- A committee with representation from the federation and all provinces will be formed to address Pakistan’s long-term agricultural needs and provincial water use, aligned with the agreed frameworks.
- Recognizing water as a precious commodity, all disputes will be resolved amicably through mutual understanding and with due diligence.
Consequently, the Council decided to return the provisional ECNEC approval dated February 7, 2024, for the construction of new canals, as well as the IRSA water availability certificate issued on January 17, 2024.
The Planning Division and IRSA were directed to ensure thorough consultation with all stakeholders to uphold national cohesion and address all concerns before proceeding.

Other Key Developments:

The CCI Secretariat presented the annual reports for the fiscal years 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024 to the Council.
Approval was granted for the CCI Secretariat’s Recruitment Rules.
The Cabinet Division submitted reports from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) for the years 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and 2022-2023, along with the State of Industry Reports for 2021, 2022, and 2023.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam, and all four provincial Chief Ministers.

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