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PA opposition demands IRSA reconstitution

* PML-Q MPA says Shahbaz an industrialist, has no concern for farmers 
* Leader of opposition says two IRSA members from Sindh despite requirement of one from each province

By Rana Kashif

LAHORE: The opposition in the Punjab Assembly (PA) on Saturday demanded that the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) be reconstituted to ensure the fair and just distribution of water among the provinces.

The distribution of water resources between the provinces dominated the proceedings again, even though the House also discussed the Supplementary Budget 2008-09. MPAs from both the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the PML-Quaid (PML-Q) presented arguments for resolving the water issue.

The opposition declared that Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif was pro-industrialists, and not pro-farmers, and said the province was a major producer of agricultural products, and the majority of the population was associated with the agriculture sector. 

The debate over water started when PML-Q MPA Mohsin Khan Leghari, speaking on a point of order, said the issue was very important for both the province and its people. 

Industrialist, not farmer: He said the Punjab CM should realise the gravity of the situation, but said Shahbaz was an industrialist, and had no connection with the farmers. Leghari said the Punjab Irrigation Department was “sleeping”.

At this, Minister for Prisons Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor stood up to counter the allegations, at which Leghari said the minister was simply “scoring points”. 

Speaker Rana Iqbal asked Ghafoor to remain calm during his speech. While addressing the House, the minister said it was only the Punjab CM who had taken bold steps to improve the agriculture sector. He said the CM was “Shahbaz-e-Pakistan” (the eagle of Pakistan). 

At this, Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Zaheerud Din said the CM was an intelligent man and should be compared with some scholar, and not with birds. Zaheer said the Taunsa Barrage was irrigating almost 1.3 million acres of land, and unless immediate steps were taken, all that land would become barren. Zaheer said IRSA was responsible for the issue. 

Two members from Sindh: He said according to the rules and regulations, IRSA should have four members – one from each province, and one impartial member from the federal government. He said currently there were two members from Sindh in IRSA, while the member from Punjab was not called to the meetings.

He said a joint resolution concerning the issue should be moved in the House. The matter, if unresolved, could prove fatal for the province and the people, he added. 

Finance Minister Tanveer Ashraf Kaira told the House the second member from Sindh was appointed by former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf. However, Kaira said the CM and ministers were on board on the matter, and the prime minister had ensured that water would be distributed in accordance with the Water Accord of 1991. 

Kaira said the Punjab senior minister was in Islamabad to resolve the matter, and would be coming back on Monday to present a report before the House on the matter. Leghari again said the opposition wanted to bring a resolution on the issue. However, the speaker said the House should wait for the return of the senior minister. 

MPA Mian Muhammad Rafiq said an army general had sold three rivers to India, another shelved the Kalabagh Dam, while a third general had allowed India to construct dams. Rafiq said a separate day should be fixed for a detailed debate on the issue. MPA Sher Ali said the Kalabagh Dam should be constructed given the seriousness of the issue.