The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday extends its stay order on the certificate for water availability issued by the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) for the construction of Cholistan and Thal canals, directed for the appointment of Irsa member from Sindh as per the court orders.
During the hearing of a petition against the Irsa certificate and for the appointment of Irsa member from Sindh, the court said that it was sensitive matter and it should be settled. The court said that nothing was more important than the national unity.
At the outset of the hearing, the lawyer for the petitioner informed the bench that no federal member from Sindh was appointed in Irsa, therefore, the current formation of the regulatory body was illegal. The lawyer further stated that Sindh's water had been reduced.
The lawyer further informed the court that IRSA issued a water supply certificate for construction of Cholistan and Thal canals on January 25. The lawyer said that Irsa headquarters had been shifted from Lahore to Islamabad.
The court asked the additional attorney general (AAG) whether Irsa Sindh member had been appointed. On that the AAG replied no such instructions were given in the court order. However, Justice Faisal Kamal Alam remarked that the court order already existed, so why the order was not implemented.
On that the AAG sought to submit the reply. He said that they were looking for some court orders and documents. The court told the AAG that this issue must be settled once, and for all. "Is there anything greater than national unity? Do you realise the sensitivity of the matter," the judge told the AAG.
The court remarked that preserving and maintaining national unity should be the top priority. "This is not a trivial case," he said. The AAG requested the court that time should be given for submitting the reply. The court remarked that time would be given but the court orders should be followed.
To a court query, whether the work was done on the canals, the AAG replied that the work had been stopped after the court orders. The court said that the Sindh government and the federal government should ensure that national unity was not harmed and build national consensus on the issue.
As per the court order, a federal member from Sindh should be appointed in Irsa; and if legislation was needed to resolve this issue on a permanent basis, it should be enacted. The court extended the stay order against Irsa's water certificate and sought federal government's reply by April 29.
Earlier, in a statement, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro had called the court's order a historic decision. He reiterated the provincial government's demand to appoint a proper Sindh representative to IRSA and cancel the canal projects.
The canal issue has sparked strong political reactions in Sindh, where local leaders argue that the province's rights over water are being bypassed.
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