HYDERABAD: Draft legislation to amend the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) Act of 1992 is nearing finalization at the federal level, reportedly receiving backing from President Asif Ali Zardari. The proposed changes seek to restructure Irsa, which was established by the Water Apportionment Accord of 1991 during Nawaz Sharif’s first term.
Irsa Chairman Abdul Hameed Mengal from Balochistan confirmed that the draft amendments had been prepared and submitted to the federal water resources ministry last month. These amendments follow the Indus River System Authority (Amendment) Ordinance of 2024, which was introduced under the caretaker government but did not receive presidential assent from Dr. Arif Alvi.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had appointed Zafar Mahmood, a former Wapda chairman and advocate for the Kalabagh Dam, to lead Irsa in March 2024. However, Mahmood’s appointment was withdrawn following opposition from Sindh parliamentarians.
The new draft amendments were presented to President Zardari in July, who reportedly expressed full support for their passage into law. The proposed changes include altering Irsa’s structure to make it more accountable to the federal government. Notably, the amendments propose the introduction of a vice chairman position and extend the chairman’s term to four years. Under the new provisions, the chairman will be a federal employee appointed by the Prime Minister, and the Authority’s observations will take precedence over those of other bodies in case of conflicts.
Further, the amendments propose changes to Irsa’s Advisory Committee, including the creation of an ‘Independent Experts Committee’ with a focus on hydrology, hydraulic modeling, and remote sensing.
A significant point of contention remains the distribution of water between Punjab and Sindh, with Sindh advocating for water distribution as per the 1991 Accord, while Irsa currently follows a “three-tier formula.” Issues related to canal projects and the three-tier formula have been pending before the Council of Common Interests (CCI) since 2018.
The timing of these amendments coincides with increased collaboration between the PPP and the PML-N-led coalition at the federal level and ongoing disputes between the Sindh government and the Centre over canal constructions upstream in Punjab. PPP’s Sindh president Nisar Khuhro has even urged the Asian Development Bank to avoid funding contentious projects like the Greater Thal Canal-II and Chaubara Canal in Punjab.
