Pak's Sindh passes resolution over denial of due water share to province

The Sindh provincial assembly passed a resolution on Monday to condemn the "unwelcome situation of the province constantly being denied its due share of water" as allowed according to the water accord in 1991.

According to The News International, the resolution was moved by Sindh Irrigation Minister Sohail Anwar Khan Siyal, who said that Sindh is being treated unfairly since 2003.

He also highlighted that the Punjab province has to bear with a mere nine per cent shortage of irrigation water, while this shortfall has increased to 44 per cent in Sindh.

Sindh has not been demanding anything from the share of the other provinces, and that it only wants to be provided with water in accordance with its due share, stressed Siyal. He also said that the Indus River System Authority has failed to ensure just distribution of river water among the provinces because of its "inefficiency".

The News International reported a heated debate between the Sindh and Punjab provinces over the non-implementation of the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord. The meeting recommended to IRSA to implement Para-2 of the Water Accord as demanded by Sindh.

IRSA chairman, Rao Irshad Ali Khan, accused Sindh of causing acute shortages in Balochistan province and asked to send its inspectors to assess if misreporting was being done by the Sindh Irrigation department, which the provincial representative in IRSA denied.

A Member of National Assembly (MNA) from Balochistan objected as to how a low-riparian federating unit like Sindh can commit water theft and asked Punjab and IRSA to give full share of water to Sindh and Balochistan in accordance with the water accord.

Amid the rising population and climate change, the availability of fresh water is becoming worrisome in South Asia, particularly in , which may face absolute water scarcity by 2040.

According to a Washington-based magazine, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has placed at the third position in the list of countries facing acute water scarcity.

Moreover, the per capita availability of fresh water in has fallen below the water scarcity threshold (1,000 cubic meters), which was 3,950 cubic meters in 1961 and 1600 in 1991.

( With inputs from ANI )