Karachi: The Sindh government has decided to reject the federal government’s proposed amendment to the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Act.
The federal government intends to end the Water Accord 1991 and retain powers by dissolving IRSA, the federal body responsible for overseeing the distribution of water from the Indus River.
According to sources in the Sindh government, any changes to the IRSA Act will be opposed.
Nisar Khuhro, President of the PPP Sindh, has introduced a resolution against the amendment of the IRSA Act in the Sindh Assembly.
All PPP members in the Sindh Assembly have opposed any amendments to the IRSA Act.
The resolution states that the IRSA agreement bears the signatures of all Chief Ministers.
Any amendment to the water distribution agreement and the IRSA Act is unacceptable to the people of Sindh, who view water as a life source, and believe it could lead to conflict over water resources.
Nisar Khuhro mentioned that he has heard that after the amendment, provincial representation might be abolished in favor of a single chairman.
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Ziaullah Lanjhar said that water is Sindh’s lifeline and there is no more important issue than water.
Additionally, PPP’s parliamentary leader Senator Sherry Rehman has submitted a notice in the Senate regarding the proposed changes to the IRSA Act.
She has asked the Minister for Water Resources to clarify the proposed changes to the 1992 IRSA Act, stating that such changes could undermine the spirit of the agreement and are contrary to the Council of Common Interests.
The proposed amendments have caused unrest in Sindh.
It is also noted that Sindh’s nationalist parties are opposing the amendments to the IRSA Act. They view this decision as part of efforts to deprive Sindh of its share of water and to build controversial dams and canals on the river.
Ayaz Palejo, leader of the National Peoples Movement, said that Sindh’s political and nationalist parties will prepare their strategy against this on September 10.