ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) has asked the government to frame rules of business to carry out the working of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) in accordance with the 1973 Constitution. “The government’s decision to revive CCI after eight years is quite late, still the PTI welcomes the decision,” said Member of the PTI’s Central Executive Committee, Aamir Mehmood Kiani, in a statement issued here on Thursday.

The creation of CCI was the requirement of the 1973 Constitution and its articles 153-155 made the four provinces shareholders in important decisions like those related to oil and gas, electricity, river water, dams, railways, and industrial projects, he said.

He expressed the hope that the activation of CCI as per the 1973 Constitution would benefit the small provinces.

In order to make the working of the council fully transparent, Mr Kiani suggested that the federal government must nominate its members after duly consulting the opposition. Similarly, in addition to four chief ministers, the remaining four members should be appointed in consultation with the Parliament.

Otherwise, no one would accept the council’s decisions, he warned.

He also rejected the government’s move that the CCI would take decisions on a majority basis. The Constitution, he added, did not allow the CCI to take decisions backed by majority of its members, but to take unanimous decisions.

In case of difference of opinion, he said, the matter should be referred to a joint session of the Parliament where a decision could be made by a majority vote or the house could refer the issue to a committee appointed by it.

In both the cases, Mr Kiani said, neither the president of Pakistan nor the Supreme Court would have the authority to intervene in the matter.