HYDERABAD: Awami Tehreek, Grand Democratic Alliance, Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party and Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz have strongly opposed appointment of new chairman to Indus River System Authority and termed it unconstitutional, illegal and immoral.

In a joint press statement, AT central president Lal Jarwar, and other leaders Hoorunisa Palijo, Rasool Bux Khaskheli, advocate Raheel Bhutto and Dayal Sehrai said that the recent enactment of the IRSA Act Amendment Ordinance by the federal government posed a grave threat to the survival of Indus River.

They said that the appointment of pro-dam Zafar Mahmood was a direct threat to the people of Sindh as he was as controversial as IRSA Amendment Act. “The illegal appointment not only undermines our constitution but also violates federal democratic principles,” they said.

On World Rivers Day, they said, “we call for urgent measures to protect the Indus as rampant construction of dams has pushed the Indus to the brink of extinction, making it one of the world’s dead rivers”.

They said that recent amendments to the IRSA act authorised the chairman to take unilateral decisions and even ignore grievances about shortage of water by the members.

They said that the leaders of PML-N, PPP and MQM who had ruled Pakistan for decades were responsible for economic, social, political, and environmental collapse of Pakistan. Sindh was facing an acute shortage of water not only for agricultural use but also drinking purposes, they said.

They said that Sindh government should take up the issue at the Council of Common Interests, else the people would be right to believe that PPP-led Sindh government had accepted this economic genocide of the people of Sindh.

The Grand Democratic Alliance’s information secretary Sardar Abdur Rahim also condemned the Zafar Mehmood’s appointment as Irsa chairman and said it showed the PPP had bargained away Sindh’s interests.

He called the Irsa head anti-Sindh and said that after fraud elections and installation of fake government work on the original plan for selling away natural resources of Sindh and Balochistan had begun.

He said that appointment of a controversial figure as Irsa head was tantamount to attack on the integrity of the country.

He warned if the pro-dam chairman was not removed immediately people of Sindh would stage massive protests. The PPP, which had occupied constitutional office of president and was beneficiary of the fraud election could never absolve itself of the responsibility for the controversial appointment, he said.

Sindh Taraqqi-pasand chairman Dr Qadir Magsi announced protest on March 17 in Sindh against appointment of Irsa chairman.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday, he said that outgoing caretaker government unconstitutionally made amendment to the IRSA Act through an ordinance and people of Sindh had rejected it.

He said that a resolution was adopted in Motherland Day programme to term this amendment and a conspiracy against Sindh’s waters.

Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz chairman Riaz Chandio accused all past and present rulers inclusive of PML-N and PPP of wanting to usurp Sindh’s water share. In his statement, he condemned appointment of Irsa chairman.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2024