Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) on 31st July 31 discuss and give approval to various proposals of important nature, it was learnt.
Official sources, on condition of anonymity, informed Pakistan Today that the federal government has called a meeting of CCI on July 31. They said the meeting will take up summaries/proposals of provincial governments of Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa as well as of various ministries including the Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), water and power, petroleum and natural resources, cabinet and finance divisions for discussion and necessary approvals. The four chief ministers have been requested to attend the meeting as official invitations have been sent to the provinces, ministries and divisions, sources said.
Sharing details of agenda points of upcoming CCI meeting, the sources told that the CCI will discuss summaries including national water policy, Rs 900 billion package for the development of federally administered tribal areas (FATA) in next nine years, implementation report on an inquiry into corruption charges of Kachhi canal, and the meeting will also discuss the establishment of Fiscal Coordination Committee of Finance Division. They said the concept of the establishment of fiscal coordination committee is proposed to strengthen fiscal coordination between center and provinces will be tabled in the meeting. Also, a controversy between center and Sindh province over LNG issue will be discussed in the meeting.
Sources said the next meeting of CCI on 31st July (Monday), which is to be presided over by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, is likely to submit its approval to a summary of petroleum ministry, seeking gas supply to localities and villages which fall within a radius of 5 km of the gas producing fields across the country.
It is also learnt that the planning ministry has supported the proposal, whereas the finance ministry was of the view that such schemes may be executed according to the availability of funds. The Sindh government is of the view that the federal government may pay the entire cost whereas Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa suggested that the cost should be borne by the gas utilities. And, the government of Punjab was of the view that per-consumer cost criteria should be revised, before discussing cost-sharing with the provinces.
Following the Supreme Court reserved its decision in Panama case, the PML-N government seems to be in hurry to announce the ambitious plans/schemes so that it could fight the elections with something concrete at its disposal. The CCI also provides an opportunity to other ruling parties of the four provinces to vent out concerns regarding development and other matters of great importance.
