KARACHI: Sindh Indus River System Authority (IRSA) member Zahid Hussain Junejo on Tuesday claimed that he was attacked by IRSA Chairman Rao Irshad Ali Khan during a meeting on Taunsa-Punjab (TP) link canal, ARY News reported.
Zahid Hussain Junejo told ARY News that he was manhandled by IRSA Chairman Rao Irshad Ali Khan, who is also a member of Punjab. Junejo claimed that he was attacked after he raised the issue of the acute water crisis in Sindh.
“I was hit with a mic by the chairman during the meeting just for demanding Sindh’s due share of water”, he claimed.
In the meeting, Sindh member Zahid Hussain Junejo complained that his province was receiving 44 percent less share of water. Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa members also endorsed Sindh’s position.
Read More: IRSA detects water theft between Sukkur, Kotri barrages, wants Sindh govt to probe
Soon after the incident, Sindh Irrigation Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal on directions of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah contacted Sindh Irsa member and took details of the unfortunate incident from Junejo.
Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah condemned the alleged torture on Sindh IRSA member and demanded the federal government for immediate removal of IRSA Chairman Rao Irshad Ali Khan.
“IRSA chairman is totally failed over fair distribution of water among provinces,” said Shah in a statement.
The provincial government previously claimed that the province had been denied its due share of water with PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari blaming theft of water from canals in Punjab.
Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Monday said that it had detected a water theft of 50 percent in the Sindh province between Sukkur and Kotri Barrages.
In a letter written to the provincial government to respond to their claim regarding less water being supplied to the province, IRSA said that 50 percent of water supplied is being stolen between Sukkur and Kotri barrages.
“Despite repeated requests, water is being allowed to pass under the Kotri Barrage,” said the body regulating water supply on Indus River while sharing that 52,000-acre feet of water was allowed to pass under the barrage during a period from April 01 to May 22.
