Sindh lawyers end all sit-ins except Baberlo after CCI decision on contentious canals

Sukkur: The Sindh Lawyers’ Action Committee has announced the end of all sit-ins except the one at Baberlo Bypass against the contentious canals project, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

Chairman Sindh High Court Bar Association and committee member Barrister Sarfaraz Metlo stated that the termination of the canal project is a collective success.

He welcomed the decision taken by the Council of Common Interests (CCI), expressing gratitude to all allied organizations for their support.

He added that a follow-up meeting will be held today at 12 PM to decide the future of the Baberlo sit-in.

An 11-member delegation of lawyers is scheduled to hold talks with the Sindh government later today.

It is to be noted that lawyers and nationalist parties in Sindh had been protesting across the province against the canal project.

Earlier, the Council of Common Interest (CCI) approved halting the contentious canals project on Indus River until mutual understanding among all provinces.

Read more: CCI backs govt’s decision to halt canals project until provincial consensus

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the meeting, which was attended by chief minsters of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and federal minister Ameer Muqam also attended the meeting.

“The CCI endorses the policy of the federal government as given below: Federal government has decided that no new canals will be built without mutual understanding from CCI. It has been decided that the federal government will not move further until mutual understanding is evolved among the provinces,” a press statement issued by Prime Minister’s Office read.

In order to address the concerns of all provinces and guarantee the nation’s food and ecological security, the CCI also supported the government’s decision to form a committee with representation from the federation and all provinces and to work with all provincial governments to develop a long-term consensus roadmap for the development of agriculture policy and water management infrastructure throughout Pakistan.