KP government protests proposed amendments to IRSA Act

PESHAWAR: In a move that has stirred significant discontent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial government has raised serious objections to the proposed amendments to the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Act, 1992, by the caretaker federal government.

Demanding immediate attention from the federal authorities, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has called for the issue of amendments to be brought before the Council of Common Interests (CCI), citing constitutional obligations.

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Yesterday, Indus River System Authority (IRSA) Member Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Syed Zahid Abbas penned a letter to the IRSA Chairman in Islamabad, expressing grave concerns over the proposed alterations to the IRSA Act.

In the communication, which has been obtained by Hum News English, Abbas highlighted the lack of consultation with the provinces regarding the proposed amendments, contending that such matters, as per Article 155 of the Constitution, warrant discussion within the Council of Common Interests.

The letter underscores that the proposed amendments have not been subjected to scrutiny in IRSA meetings nor have they been deliberated with the provinces, thus constituting a breach of protocol.

Furthermore, Abbas asserted that the unilateral move to amend the IRSA Act poses a direct challenge to the water-sharing agreement between provinces, potentially infringing upon their rights. He stressed that, in the interest of both the Federation and the provinces, the matter should be deliberated within the framework of existing laws and presented before the CCI.

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Reports suggest that the caretaker federal government has recently initiated steps to amend the IRSA Act through an ordinance, ostensibly to grant itself the authority to appoint the IRSA chairman directly. This move has already drawn sharp rebukes from the Sindh government, and now and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has also voiced reservations regarding the unilateral nature of the amendments.