PM chairs CCI session, says provinces will be taken into confidence on national matters

ISLAMABAD: The first session of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) was chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan here on Monday.

Sources informed Geo News that a detailed discussion was held on the agreed upon distribution between the centre and provinces post 18th amendment.

During the session, chief ministers also apprised the council of recommendations and issues. According to sources, Prime Minister Khan assured the chief ministers that the provinces would be taken into confidence on all important national matters.

“The nation will proposer from strong contact and harmony between the centre and provinces,” the prime minister was quoted as saying.

Prime Minister Khan stressed on making provinces more autonomous and the need to make sure that the distribution of resources was transparent.

He also took the council into confidence on the new local government system and comprehensive reforms.

The sources said the prime minister vowed to utilise all resources in order to ensure water supply to Karachi.

PM Khan immediately sought recommendations from provincial government and Ministry of Water Resources on provision of an additional 1200 cusec of water to Karachi.

According to sources, a decision was made for identical rules and regulations of federal and provincial food authorities, besides initiation of a national cleanliness drive across the country.

The meeting approved recommendations of Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, directing the provinces to for making arrangements for the functioning of cleanliness system on permanent basis.

The sources further said that the forum pondered over energy projects, provincial needs and resources in Balochistan. It also reviewed reservations of centre and Sindh on import, purchase and price of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and decided to bring forth all agreements pertaining to LNG imports in the past tenure.

A decision was made to set up a committee to resolve issues relating to Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and Workers Welfare Board, which will be comprising representatives from centre and provinces, the sources added.

The forum also decided to seek recommendations of provinces on an amendment in Petroleum Policy 2012.