The government of Sindh has expressed its mistrust in the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Chairman Rao Irshad Ali Khan, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

On the directives of Provincial Minister for Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro, Irrigation Department Secretary Sohail Ahmed Qureshi has written a letter to the Authority chairman, in which he has asked him to improve his treatment of Sindh and ensure implementation of the Water Accord of 1991 which lays down the mechanism of distribution of water among federating units.  

It is alleged in the letter that IRSA, at its advisory committee meeting on September 30, was going to commit another violation of the 1991 accord.

The letter reads that the Sindh government’s representatives during their presentation at the meeting had pointed out to the Authority that the figures related to Khareef season, 2021 had been fudged. “Inaccurate figures of water deficit in Sindh and Balochistan during the Khareef season were given at the meeting,” reads the letter.

It is further stated that it was only when the IRSA chairman started passing pungent remarks against the Sindh government’s representatives that the latter walked out of the meeting in protest, thus resulting in its abrupt end. 

The letter alleges that while other provinces’ share in the water was increased with the passage of time, the same thing did not happen to Sindh. “Despite the fact that the province has been agitating against the Thari Tier Formula for the last 18 years, still the IRSA is unmoved,” the letter reads, and adds, “IRSA openly supports the Formula which has no legal justification whatsoever.” 

Sindh’s irrigation department has urged the Authority to ensure equal distribution of water among all the four provinces in the light of Water Accord of 1991.

Furthermore, it calls upon the federal government to make IRSA bound to comply with the accord according to which Punjab’s share in the water resources stands at 48.92 per cent, Sindh’s at 42.7 per cent, Balochistan’s at 3.38 per cent and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s share stands at 5.05 per cent. 

 

Reporter Azad Nehryo