IRSA Act tweak may impact provincial harmony: SAB

The federal government's plan to change the structure of Indus River System Authority (IRSA) is continuing to create ripples of outright repudiation in political and agricultural segments in the society. The sub-nationalist political parties and even the incumbent Sindh government have unequivocally spurned amendments in Indus River System Act, 1992, which aim to make IRSA subordinate to the federal government and shorn it of its autonomy.

A meeting of Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB), an association lobbying for farmers' rights, in Hyderabad on Sunday cautioned that the amendments will deprive provinces like Sindh of their voice in IRSA. "This will lead to disputes and disagreements thereby, impacting provincial harmony," warned a statement issued by Syed Mahmood Nawaz Shah who presided the meeting.

It was recalled that the sole purpose of IRSA is to implement the 1991 Water Accord which was signed and agreed to by all the provinces after several decades of disagreements over the utilization of Indus River's water. Shah underlined that the provincial harmony was tendered cardinal consideration in that accord while the contentious issues were supposed to be brought for discussion and resolution on the forum of the Council of Common Interest (CCI) which itself is a constitutional body.

"The floated changes seem to vest authority in the chairperson [of IRSA] who is unlikely to be an expert of irrigation or hydrology or even have the relevant experience," the statement noted, adding that the decisions made by such a chairperson will be arbitrary and not consensus based.

The farmers' representatives deplored that at a time when questions exist on the water distribution and governance, the way the federal government is trying to amend the Act will only add to the problems and challenges. "The SAB, therefore, is of the viewpoint that these proposed amendments should be withdrawn forthwith."

Separately, at a press conference Jeay Sindh Mahaz's President Riaz Chandio contended that the people of Sindh had grudgingly consented to the 1991 accord and now even a worse form of the same law is being slapped on smaller provinces especially Sindh. He recalled that the 1991 accord was also signed during Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's government and the ongoing efforts to rob the share of Sindh in the Indus were also being made during the same party's government.

"The fact is for the last 33 years Punjab has evaded implementation over the accord and now even more injustice will be done to Sindh by amending that Act." He lamented that already Sindh's oil, gas, coal, Khirthar mountains, Karoonjhar mountain, coastal belt and desert are under control of people from outside the province.

Chandio alleged that under the garb of corporate farming Sindhs's precious agricultural lands will be given to an entity by depriving ordinary native farmers. The JSM's leader announced that his party will hold protest demonstrations across Sindh on September 22 while on October 20 a shutter down strike will be held.