KARACHI: Sindh government’s spokesperson Murtaza Wahab has said the provincial government sees federal cabinet’s decision to remove three members of Irsa as unconstitutional and demands the federation immediately reverse it.

Mr Wahab said in a statement issued here on Wednesday that people of Sindh would not accept the unilateral decision under any circumstances and the Sindh government would take legal action if the centre did not take it back.

He said that members of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) had to be appointed in consultation with provinces and hence the provinces had the right to challenge the decision. The federal government should refrain from thrusting its unilateral decisions on provinces, he said.

He said that those who accused others of bias were themselves showing bias towards Sindh. The federal government and its ministers from Sindh who were always ready to attack the provincial government over trivial issues had kept mum on this stark injustice with smaller provinces, he said.

Growers reject removal of Irsa members

HYDERABAD: Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) has rejected amendment to Indus River System Authority Act and removal of federal and Sindh members from Irsa by the federal cabinet.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday SCA president Miran Mohammad Shah slammed federal cabinet for amending Irsa Act to do away with membership of federation, Sindh and Punjab from Irsa.

He said that Irsa was a constitutional body and the federation could not take any decision about it without consulting the provinces and appointment or their removal of members.

He regretted that the federal government did not even consult Council of Common Interests and thrust its decision by removing member from Sindh, Syed Mazhar Ali Shah.

He said that Section-6 of Irsa Act said that no issue could be discussed without consent of members and advised Sindh government to immediately take up the matter in CCI. Apparently, the decision to remove three members from Irsa followed a dispute between ministry of water and Irsa over contract of telemetry system for a company, he said.

He said that under the Constitution, federal government did not have power to remove Irsa members. Since distribution of water between provinces was a sensitive issue a constitutional body like Irsa was established to ensure judicious distribution of water, he said.

He said that medium level flood was being anticipated in this monsoon season and involving Irsa in controversies at this juncture would harm congenial relations between the federation and provinces over water distribution.

He said that if anyone had objections over any member of Irsa, the matter should have been taken up in CCI and demanded the federal government immediately reinstate Sindh’s member in Irsa.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2020