Punjab-Sindh water issue

Source: The News

Date: July 13, 2010

 

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab will today (Tuesday) adopt an aggressive posture and take on the Federal and Sindh governments by floating three interlinked questions pertaining to the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal and shall also seek expansion of the Indus River System Authority, arguing that the existing faulty composition of Isra had rendered it unable to ensure equitable water distribution between the four federating units, a top functionary of the Punjab government, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The News.

This stance is to be presented in the meeting of Punjab and Sindh chief ministers, convened by Prime Minister Gilani today (Tuesday), to resolve the water disputes, including opening of the Chashma-Jehlum Link Canal and reconstitution and expansion of the Indus River System Authority.

The official said the Punjab will initially seek the appointment of Federal member in Irsa from the federal government and not from Sindh to make the Irsa operational based on equal representation of all the provinces. “Moreover, the Punjab will also seek the expansion of Irsa, seeking inclusion of two more members each from Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. Since Gilgit-Baltistan shares water of Indus River, as it runs through the said area, and likewise the AJK also shares Jehlum river water and other than that Mangla dam is built in the AJK, so they also need to get membership in Irsa.”

Punjab will also seek, the official claimed, that the chairman of Irsa should not be less than a retired Supreme Court judge with strong credibility and his appointment should be for three years to depoliticise the entity as currently the slot of chairmanship of Irsa rotates between the provinces due to which water regulator body has become highly politicized.

Link: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=250498