Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for an urgent meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) today (Monday) to discuss the contentious canal project, following a request from the Sindh government.

The meeting, originally scheduled for May 2, has been brought forward in response to growing unrest in Sindh, particularly related to the controversial project.

Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon confirmed the meeting’s new schedule and highlighted that the canal issue would be the primary topic of discussion. A decision is expected to be reached during the meeting, he stated, emphasizing the urgency of resolving the matter.

The dispute centers around the federal government’s plan to construct six canals from the Indus River to irrigate the Cholistan desert. This ambitious project, estimated to cost Rs211.4 billion, aims to transform thousands of acres of barren land into productive agricultural areas. However, the initiative has been met with strong opposition from the Sindh government, led by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), as well as various nationalist groups in the province.

The proposed project has become a flashpoint in the ongoing political tensions between the PPP-led Sindh government and the federal government, headed by Shehbaz Sharif. The PPP has firmly rejected the initiative, claiming that it will divert water resources away from Sindh, exacerbating the province's already dire water crisis. In contrast, the federal government insists that the canal project will boost agricultural productivity, with 400,000 acres of land expected to come under cultivation.

The growing protests across Sindh have added to the pressure. Demonstrators, including political parties, civil society organizations, and farmers, have staged widespread rallies, demanding the cancellation of the project. Road blockages have become a regular feature of the protests, severely disrupting traffic and trade between Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan.

Protests against canal project enters 11th day

In particular, the sit-in at the Khairpur Baberlo bypass, now in its 11th day, has brought traffic to a halt, while protests at the Mangrio Pump near Daharki and other locations have continued for over a week. The ongoing sit-ins have severely impacted the transport of goods, harming both businesses and farmers who rely on inter-provincial trade.

Sharjeel Inam Memon, acknowledged the toll the protests have taken on the province. “The transport of goods has stopped, and this has harmed both businesses and farmers, as goods cannot be transported to other provinces,” he said.

Despite the ongoing protests, Memon expressed appreciation for the federal government’s decision to expedite the CCI meeting, adding that the Sindh government was hopeful of a resolution through dialogue.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and other provincial officials are set to attend the CCI meeting, which will be chaired by the prime minister. Memon also expressed confidence that the decision reached in the meeting would bring an end to the protests. “We believe in dialogue, and once the CCI meeting reaches a conclusion, we hope the protests will be called off,” he said.