Pakistan to devise roadmap for agriculture development

ISLAMABAD, April 29 (Xinhua) -- With the support of all the provinces, Pakistan has initiated efforts to devise a long-term consensus roadmap for the development of agriculture and water management infrastructure across the South Asian country.

A committee was being formed to ensure the country's food and ecological security, said a statement released after a meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI), chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday.

The committee would propose solutions to Pakistan's long-term agriculture needs and water use of all provinces in line with set policies, said the statement, adding the meeting also endorsed a move to halt the initiative of much-contested six new canals on the Indus River until mutual understanding is achieved among provinces.

"Water is one of the most precious commodities and the Constitution mandates all water disputes to be resolved amicably through mutual understanding and concerns of any province shall be addressed through due diligence among all stakeholders," it said.

The development came amid uncertainty created by India's unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty last week.

The meeting said that Pakistan has the right to protect its water interests in view of the suspension of the water treaty and stoppage of water. ■