Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has halted work on the construction of new canals and made it conditional upon mutual agreement among the provinces. He announced that the matter of building new canals will be taken up at the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on May 2, and that no new canals will be constructed without the unanimous consent of all stakeholders.

Speaking alongside Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, at a joint press conference following their meeting, the Prime Minister said that yesterday’s declarations by India were discussed in full detail with Bilawal Bhutto. “We had a very serious discussion on the canal issue,” he said.

He emphasized that inter-provincial matters must be resolved through dialogue and good faith. “If Sindh raises objections to the Kalabagh Dam, we must, in the national interest, accept those concerns. If Kalabagh Dam conflicts with the federation, we should steer clear of it.”

Regarding the canals, the Prime Minister stated that decisions must be taken collectively. “It has been agreed that no further canals will be built until a consensus is reached at the CCI,” he said, underlining that the federal government will not move forward on the issue without provincial agreement.

He confirmed that the CCI session has been convened for Friday, May 2. “At the CCI meeting, we will discuss the PPP and PML-N positions, and resolve federation-province issues in good faith,” he added.

During the press conference, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari thanked the Prime Minister for hearing their concerns and making a decision: “No new canals will be constructed without mutual consent. This will allow us to address the people’s grievances.”

He noted that three provinces had objected to the Kalabagh Dam and that a unanimous decision had been made on that issue as well. “Today, we are simply agreeing that no new canals will be built,” he said.

Bilawal also condemned India’s recent declarations concerning the Indus Waters Treaty, vowing a strong response: “We reject India’s actions against the Treaty and will respond decisively.”

Earlier, sources had indicated that the Pakistan Muslim League (N) had accepted all the conditions put forward by the PPP.

It bears recalling that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Islamabad to discuss the extraction of canals from the Indus River. Accompanying Bilawal was a PPP delegation that included Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Humayun Khan, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Shazia Marri, Jam Khan Shoro, and Jamil Ahmed Soomro.

In response to the federal government’s suspension of the controversial canal projects, the PPP announced three days of “thanksgiving rallies” and celebrations at district and tehsil levels across Sindh.

PPP Sindh President Nisar Khuhro stated that the federal government’s decision to halt the canal projects is a victory for the party and the people of Sindh. “From tomorrow, our district and tehsil leaders and workers will hold three consecutive days of rallies and celebrations in gratitude for this success,” he said.

Khuhro added that the federal government was compelled to accept Sindh’s stance due to the party and public struggle. “At the CCI, the PPP’s Sindh government will vigorously defend our province’s position and ensure the controversial canal projects are shelved,” he affirmed.

He recalled that the late Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had succeeded in stopping the Kalabagh Dam project, and now, under Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s leadership, the PPP has secured recognition of Sindh’s objections to six canal projects.

“The canal issue is not just about water; it’s about the very existence of Sindh. The PPP has acted, and will continue to act, on every forum to safeguard Sindh’s existence,” Nisar Khuhro concluded.