The federal government has decided to form a high-level negotiation committee to address the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) concerns over the proposed construction of six canals from the Indus River, Express News reported.
The committee will be led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and will include Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, as well as Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah. Water and agricultural experts are also expected to join.
Officials said the committee’s primary role will be to engage in dialogue with PPP leadership and other stakeholders to find a political solution to the objections raised regarding the project.
The decision was made with the approval of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who is also expected to meet President Asif Ali Zardari and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari soon to further discuss a strategy for resolving the issue.
Meetings between party leaders are likely to take place in both Karachi and Islamabad in the coming days. According to a senior PML-N leader, detailed consultations were held recently within the party on the political and provincial reaction to the Indus canal project.
He added that during those consultations, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and PM Shehbaz agreed that the matter should be resolved through dialogue. “In light of those discussions, the federal government has decided to form an empowered committee to hold talks with the PPP and others,” he said.
The committee will brief PPP on the technical benefits of the canal project and seek to understand the party’s objections. A comprehensive technical review will also be conducted to develop a joint way forward.
The government is also considering convening a session of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and may call an All Parties Conference (APC) if needed. Dialogue between the parties is expected to begin soon, with PML-N indicating it may revise its strategy depending on political developments.
