The Knowledge Forum, in collaboration with Ziauddin University’s Centre for Law & Policy at the Faculty of Law, Politics & Governance at Hotel Marriott on November 8, 2023. Parliamentarians, technocrats, lawyers, civil society members, and human rights activists attended the meeting.
Participants included parliamentarians such as Senator Zameer Ghumro, MPAs Mr. Qasim Soomro, Ms. Marvi Rashidi, Mr. Muhammad Hussain, Engr. Sabir Hussain Kaim Khani; former Senators Dr. Karim Ahmed Khawaja and Ms. Sassui Palejo; former bureaucrat Dr. Abdul Rahim Soomro; lawyer Mr. Syed Haider Imam Rizvi; civil society activists Mr. Zulfiqar Halepoto, Mr. Adam Malik; senior journalist Mr. Manzoor Sheikh, and others.
The speakers called for strengthening the Council of Common Interests (CCI), a constitutional body meant to ensure equitable distribution of resources among Pakistan’s provinces. They argued that the CCI’s role has been undermined in recent years and urged immediate steps to restore its authority, emphasising that safeguarding Sindh’s rights over natural resources is crucial for maintaining federal harmony.
They warned that the erosion of the CCI’s role was undermining provincial autonomy and threatening national cohesion. Senator Zameer Ghumro strongly criticised the establishment of the Federal Inter-Provincial Ministry, calling it unconstitutional and a violation of the 18th Amendment. He urged the Sindh government to take disputes over gas and petroleum rights to the Supreme Court if the federal government continued to ignore Sindh’s concerns.
MPA Qasim Soomro highlighted the growing mistrust between provinces, emphasising the inequities faced by Tharparkar, where coal-fired power plants generate electricity for the national grid but fail to provide energy to local communities. “Towns and villages in Thar remain in the dark while power flows to industrial hubs outside Sindh,” he said.
Former senator Sassui Palejo criticised the bypassing of the CCI in major national projects. She cited the recent approval of six new canals through the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) without provincial consultation, describing it as a deliberate weakening of the CCI. She also raised concerns over the irregular scheduling of CCI meetings.
Marvi Rashidi echoed concerns over Sindh’s gas rights, stressing that although Sindh is the largest gas-producing province, it still suffers from load-shedding and is denied its fair share of royalties.
Earlier, researcher Muhammad Abdurrafe presented findings from his study, “Pakistan’s Gas Paradox: Analysing Policies and Laws Encouraging Natural Gas Utilisation,” which was produced in collaboration with The Knowledge Forum. He noted that while the Constitution mandates joint federal-provincial management of oil and gas, recent federal decisions—such as in CPEC projects and RLNG imports—have sidelined the CCI, raising both governance and environmental concerns.
The session concluded with a unanimous call to restore the CCI’s authority, ensure regular meetings, and uphold its constitutional role. Participants stressed that only through genuine federal-provincial cooperation and fair distribution of resources can the federation’s unity and trust be preserved.
