ISLAMABAD / HYDERABAD: The PPP has ramped up its opposition to potential changes to the law governing inter-provincial water distribution, while the PML-N has assured its ally that any modifications will be made with consensus.
The proposed amendments to the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) Act of 1992, which have yet to be introduced by the PML-N-led federal government, have led to renewed tensions between the two coalition partners since the general elections.
On Tuesday, in the Senate, Minister for Water Resources Musadik Malik reassured PPP lawmakers that the government would not push through any legislation that might disadvantage a province. “We cannot afford to alienate our allies,” he stated. Malik dismissed the PPP’s concerns as “premature,” noting that the government had only received a proposal from Irsa members seeking these changes.
The minister also mentioned that Mohammad Ehsan Leghari, Irsa’s member from Sindh, had signed the proposal under consideration, and promised to address any objections from Sindh.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman criticized the proposed amendments as “unconstitutional” and a “direct attack” on the water rights of lower riparian provinces. She contended that the changes would place Irsa under federal control, although it is currently regulated by the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
Another PPP lawmaker, Jam Saifullah Dharejo, emphasized that while the party did not wish to create discord among provinces, it would not accept any alterations to the Irsa law.
The proposed amendments include restructuring Irsa to make it subordinate to the federal government, introducing a new vice chairman role, and appointing the chairman as a grade-21 federal officer by the prime minister.
In anticipation of the amendments, the PPP passed a unanimous resolution in the Sindh Assembly to preemptively address the issue. Despite the draft legislation reportedly having backing from President Asif Ali Zardari, Nisar Khuhro, president of the PPP’s Sindh chapter, claimed he was unaware of the president’s endorsement.
The PPP has expressed concerns over the ‘Green Pakistan’ initiative, a plan to irrigate five million acres of barren land, with PPP MNA Naveed Qamar criticizing it as creating new water users at the expense of existing ones. PPP MNA Nafisa Shah also argued that such plans should be discussed within the Council of Common Interests and questioned the caretaker government’s authority to make critical decisions.
The PPP is advocating for equitable water distribution and is pushing for decisions to be made within the established legal framework to ensure their legitimacy.
