Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday approved the reconstitution of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), which will be headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
A statement issued by the President House stated that Dr Alvi had reconstituted the council on the advice of the premier under Article 153 of the Constitution.
The law states that four chief ministers and an equal number of members from the federal government to be nominated by the prime minister from time to time will be members of the body.
Besides the prime minister as its chairman, other members of the council include chief ministers of four provinces and three nominees of the federal government — Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Commerce Minister Naveed Qamar and Aviation and Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, the statement added.
According to the Constitution, the CCI is responsible for formulating and regulating policies in relation to matters included in the federal legislative list and exercising supervision and control over related institutions.
“The council shall be constituted within thirty days of the prime minister taking oath of the office,” it states, adding that the CCI should at least meet once in 90 days. However, in case of an emergency, the PM can convene a meeting on urgent basis at n the request of the provinces. The decisions of the council are taken on the basis of majority.
Earlier on Thursday, Former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani demanded that the government convene a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to discuss water shortage and operation of various canals under Articles 154 and 155 of the Constitution.
Sixty-two per cent shortage has been recorded at all the three garages of Sindh and inadequate water flows in the Indus River are dangerous for the population, agriculture and livestock in the province of Sindh, he said, adding that due to severe water shortage, farmers are at the risk of losing their cotton, rice and other crops in Sindh.
He said the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal was opened on Tuesday.
According to the IRSA, the canal could not have been operated at this time as the Tarbela Dam has inadequate water flows and Sindh’s indent for water flows has not been met yet.
