A meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has been convened on May 2 to discuss the controversial plan of drawing canals from the Indus River. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will chair the meeting.

According to an official notification issued by the CCI Secretariat, this will be the council’s 52nd session.

Sources said 24 senior officials and federal ministers have been invited to attend the meeting on special invitation. The focus of the discussion will be the proposed canal project, which has stirred controversy due to its implications for water sharing.

The decision to bring the matter before the CCI was made during a recent meeting between PM Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, where both leaders agreed to discuss the issue at the inter-provincial forum.

PM Shehbaz agrees to withdraw canal project; accepts PPP’s stance

Experts have termed the upcoming meeting crucial, highlighting its significance for equitable water distribution, inter-provincial harmony, and potential environmental impacts. The council is also expected to hear reservations and suggestions from the provinces to reach a consensus-based way forward.