KP offers water share to Sindh, Balochistan under barter deal

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has decided to allocate 3 million acre-feet (MAF) of its water share it gets under the 1991 water distribution agreement to Sindh and Balochistan under the barter trade arrangement.

The KP Irrigation Department has been instructed to take the necessary steps in this regard, sources told HUM News English. This decision could deprive Punjab of a major chunk of water, leading to a shortage of water for irrigation and other uses.

Provincial Finance Adviser Muzammil Aslam chaired a review meeting that focused on the affairs of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA). KP Minister for Irrigation Aqibullah Khan, Secretary Irrigation Tahir Orakzai, IRSA member from KP Zahid Abbas and other officials also attended the meeting. The meeting assessed the water allocation to KP as per the 1991 agreement and its utilisation.

It was reported that due to a lack of infrastructure within the province, KP’s water share is being used by Punjab and Sindh without any compensation to the KP government. The meeting unanimously decided to explore various options to generate revenue from the province’s water share.

It was decided to allocate 3 MAF of water to Sindh and Balochistan through the barter trade.

According to IRSA member from KP, Zahid Abbas, 34 per cent of the province’s water share is being used by Punjab and Sindh due to the absence of infrastructure in KP.

He mentioned that once the Chashma Right Bank Canal (Lift-Cum-Gravety) project is completed, the province will be able to utilise only 1.2 MAF of water.

Provincial Minister for Irrigation KP Aqibullah Khan stated that they were working on various projects to better utilise the province’s water share.

However, he said, until these projects commence, the decision has been made to provide water to Sindh and Balochistan through the barter trade.

He noted that there is an acute need for water in Sindh and Balochistan, where even drinking water is not readily available. The provincial minister for irrigation added that he will personally contact the irrigation ministers of Sindh and Balochistan to discuss the barter trade.