Sindh and Balochistan jointly reject amendment in IRSA Act

QUETTA: Balochistan and Sindh provinces have jointly rejected proposed amends in the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Act.

Irrigation ministers of Balochistan and Sindh, Mir Sadiq Umrani and Jam Khan Shoro in a joint press conference here said,”We jointly reject the amendment in the IRSA Act”.

“Amendments in the IRSA Act violation of the constitution and against the provincial autonomy,” Sindh’s irrigation minister Jam Khan Shoro said.

He said Sindh Assembly yesterday rejected the IRSA amends in a unanimously passed resolution.

“Under the current law Chairman IRSA becomes by rotation but under the proposed amendment the prime minister will appoint the chairman”. “The amendment in the law allows the PM to nominate the chairman with proposed amends in law the prime minister could nominate or remove a member of the authority,” Sindh’s minister said.

He said the water has been a provincial subject, proposed amendments in law are a blow to the provincial autonomy.

Shoro said that after Sindh’s political parties today Balochistan has also rejected the IRSA amendments.

The Sindh Assembly in a rare show of unity rejected the proposed amendment to the Indus River System Authority Act, resolving to never give up the province’s right on water guaranteed in the Water Accord of 1991.

The house unanimously adopted a resolution against the proposed amendment to the Irsa Act-1992, with members terming the proposal against the Constitution and democratic spirit of the federation.

The resolution, tabled by Pakistan People’s Party member Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, demanded the federal government to implement the water accord in true letter and spirit and not change or amend the IRSA law.