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CCI REJECTS FEDERAL GOVT’S PROPOSAL TO CONSTRUCT NEW CANALS FROM INDUS RIVER Tuesday, 29 April, 2025 I 30 Shawwal, 1446
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FORUM EVOLVES NOT TO CARVE OUT NEW CANALS WITHOUT CONSENSUS AMONG ALL PROVINCES
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ISLAMABAD
CCI STRONGLY CONDEMNS UNILATERAL, ILLEGAL STEPS OF INDIA AFTER PAHALGAM INCIDENT
MIAN ABRAR
HE Council of Common Interests (CCI) on Monday rejected the federal government’s proposal to construct new canals from the Indus River, overturning an earlier decision by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) made in February. “No new canals will be constructed without mutual understanding and consensus among all provinces,” stated a release from the Prime Minister’s Office following the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The CCI also strongly condemned the unilateral, illegal and irresponsible steps of India after the incident of Pahalgam. While representing the national aspirations, the CCI gave a message of unity and solidarity to the nation in the backdrop of the illegal Indian measures and in case of any kind of aggression by the hostile country. The CCI stated that Pakistan was a peaceful and responsible country but fully knew how to defend itself. All the provincial chief ministers expressed unity and national solidarity in a unified voice against the illegal acts of India. The CCI fully welcomed the resolu-
tion in the Senate against the illegal and irresponsible steps of India. “Pakistan has the right to protect its water interests in view of the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty and stoppage of its water,” the council noted. The high-level meeting, convened early at the request of the Sindh government, was attended by the chief ministers of all four provinces, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Federal Minister Ameer
Pahalgam Attack: PTI calls for convening APC to respond to Indian threats ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
With tensions soaring between Pakistan and India following Pahalgam attack, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday urged the federal government to convene an All Parties Conference (APC) to raise a strong voice to recent threats from the Narendra Modiled Indian government. Addressing the Senate session today, PTI Senator Barrister Syed Ali Zafar said: “People know the script of Modi’s drama very well.” He said that the Indian government could not suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) unilaterally. Terming the Indian allegations on Pakistan in connection with the Pahalgam attack, wherein 26 people were killed, “baseless”, the PTI leader said that PM Modi was leading India towards destruction. The April 22 attack claimed the lives of 26 people — including one Nepali national — and India’s government blames Pakistan for the attack, a claim that Islamabad vehemently denied and also termed as a “false flag operation”. “If the Modi-led government diverts even a drop of Pakistan’s water, it will be considered as an enemy attack,” warned the PTI leader. His remarks come in response to India’s unilateral decision to suspend the six-decade-old Indus Waters Treaty and also taking other steps against Pakistan in the aftermath of an attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). For his part, Leader of the Opposition in Senate Senator Shibli Faraz said: “We are united when it comes to defending Pakistan.” Taking the floor, Faraz emphasised national unity and said that the country was grappling with both internal and external issues. Berating New Delhi, the PTI leader said that India has made every effort to break Pakistan and continues to build an anti-Pakistan narrative. He said that they could not take the water threat by India as a “political statement” and termed the move as an act of war. The PTI leader said that the enemy planning a lethal attack on Pakistan. Earlier, Senator Irfan Siddiqui said that the international community has rejected India’s false claims and propaganda against Pakistan following the Pahalgam incident. “The world did not support India’s stance or its fabrications. Their propaganda has been exposed,” he said while speaking on the Senate floor. He maintained that India hastily blamed Pakistan without any credible evidence, noting that the FIR for the attack was registered immediately and accusations were leveled even before any investigation.
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Muqam, and other officials. The CCI agreed to withdraw provisional approval for the project, and announced the formation of a federal-provincial committee to propose long-term agricultural and water management solutions in line with the 1991 Water Accord and the 2018 Water Policy. “The government is committed to resolving all water-related disputes amicably, ensuring that the concerns of any province are addressed through due dili-
gence,” the statement added. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur welcomed the move, saying, “It has been decided to resolve issues through mutual understanding.” He confirmed that some of KP’s demands, including the recognition of tobacco as a formal crop and the review of the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, would be added to the next CCI agenda. The decision comes amid widespread protests across Sindh over the canals project. The plan to construct six canals at an estimated cost of Rs211.4 billion faced strong resistance from the Sindh government and nationalist groups, who warned that the move would deprive Sindh of its rightful share of water. Sit-ins and blockades at key highways, now lasting over 10 days, have disrupted the movement of goods between Sindh and Punjab, causing shortages of petrol and food supplies. Stranded transporters reported increasing damage to vehicles as the protests continued without resolution. Despite PM Shehbaz’s assurances to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that no new canals would proceed without consensus, protests on the ground have intensified, highlighting deeprooted distrust and regional tensions over water distribution.
Security forces kill 71 Khwarij in North Waziristan during past three days RAWALPINDI
STAFF REPORT
Following successful engagements by the security forces in North Waziristan district, seventyone Khwarij were killed in last three days. According to ISPR, fifty-four khwarij were sent to hell from Friday last to yesterday, while a deliberate sanitization operation was conducted in surrounding areas of Hassan Khel in the North Waziristan district last night, along Pakistan-Afghanistan Border. During the conduct of the operation, seventeen more khwarij, who were operating on behest of their foreign masters, were hunted down and successfully neutralized. Weapons, ammunition and ex-
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Nawaz urges diplomatic efforts to ease tensions with India
irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk
LAHORE
NEWS DESK
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday briefed PML-N President Nawaz Sharif at Jati Umrah on the National Security Committee’s decisions following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam attack. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also attended the meeting. Shehbaz informed Nawaz that Pahalgam was a false flag operation and warned that India’s unilateral moves had increased the risk of regional conflict. He stressed that while Pakistan seeks peace, national security remains non-negotiable. A PML-N source said Nawaz Sharif advised the government to pursue all diplomatic options to deescalate tensions and avoid an aggressive stance. Earlier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif proposed forming an international commission including the US, Iran, China, Russia, and Britain to investigate the Pahalgam incident. Asif said Pakistan would cooperate with any such probe but warned India against any misadventure, emphasizing that rising tensions between nucleararmed states pose a global threat. He reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to defend itself if necessary.
US urges Pakistan, India to work towards ‘responsible solution’ WASHINGTON
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
plosives were also recovered from the killed khwarij. The Security Forces remain committed to secure the nation’s frontiers and thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Pakistan. Sindh Chief Minister Syed
Murad Ali Shah has paid rich tribute to valiant soldiers of Pakistan Army for killing 71 Khwarij in North Waziristan. In a statement, the Chief Minister said the nation is proud of Pakistan’s Armed Forces.
The United States said on Monday it was in contact with both Pakistan and India and urged both sides to work towards a “responsible solution” as tensions escalated following a attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). A US State Department spokesperson told Reuters that Washington is “monitoring developments closely” and has engaged with both governments “at multiple levels.” The United States reiterated its support for India following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, where more than two dozen people were killed. Pakistan has denied any involvement and called for a neutral investigation. “This is an evolving situation,” the State Department spokesperson said, adding Washington “stands with India and strongly condemns the terrorist attack.”
China urges Pakistan, India to observe restraint, calls for ‘impartial investigation’ into Pahalgam attack BEIJING
STAFF REPORT
China has urged Pakistan and India to observe restraint in wake of Pahalgam attack with China’s Foreign Minister saying that China fully understands Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns; supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests. Member of the Political Bureau of China’s CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi had a phone call with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the latter’s request. Giving an update on the tensions between Pakistan and India over the terror attacks in Kashmir, Mohammad Ishaq Dar said that Pakistan has always been resolute in combating terrorism and opposed actions that may lead to an escalation of the situation. Pakistan is committed to managing the situation in a mature manner and will maintain communication with China and the interna-
tional community, he added. Wang Yi said that China is closely following the developments of the current situation. He said combating terrorism is the common responsibility of all countries in the world, and China always supports Pakistan’s resolute implemen-
tation of counter-terrorism actions. “As Pakistan’s ironclad friend and all-weather strategic cooperative partner, China fully understands Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests. China supports an
impartial investigation as soon as possible, as the conflict does not serve the fundamental interests of either India or Pakistan, nor does it contribute to regional peace and stability,@ he added. Wang Yi expressed the hope that Pakistan and India will exercise restraint and work in the same direction to deescalate the situation. Meanwhile, China on Monday urged India and Pakistan to “exercise restraint” as the two countries reportedly exchanged fire at the Line of Control (LoC) for a fourth night in a row in the wake of a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. “China hopes that the two sides will exercise restraint, meet each other halfway, properly handle relevant differences through dialogue and consultation and jointly maintain regional peace and stability,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular media briefing in Beijing. “China welcomes all measures that will help cool down the situation,” Jiakun added.
Shehbaz announces nationwide expansion of digital wallets for seamless payments g
PLANS TO INTEGRATE PROVINCIAL SYSTEMS INTO A UNIFIED NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR TRANSPARENT FUND TRANSFERS PROFIT
MONITORING DESK
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Monday that the government will extend the use of digital wallets nationwide, creating a unified national framework to streamline digital payments and integrate provincial systems. This move aims to enhance the efficiency and transparency of financial transactions across the country. Speaking at a ceremony recognizing individuals for their outstanding contributions to the success of the Prime Minister’s Ra-
mazan Relief Package, the PM emphasized how modern payment methods had significantly improved the speed and transparency of fund transfers, ensuring beneficiaries’ dignity was upheld throughout the process. “Through digital wallets, 79% of funds in the relief package were transferred seamlessly and transparently,” the Prime Minister stated, acknowledging that previous systems had faced challenges that have now been addressed by the new digital framework. Looking ahead, the Prime Minister revealed plans to ensure that by next year, all disbursements would be made digitally,
achieving 100% utilization of funds via modern payment systems. He also highlighted that the initiative would evolve further with the integration of provincial governments into the nationwide digital payment network. Amir Ahmed Ali, Secretary of the Benazir Income Support Programme, provided a detailed briefing on the Ramazan Relief Package and the successful use of digital wallets. During the ceremony, the PM awarded honorary shields to key public and private sector officials who played a critical role in implementing the program.