ISLAMABAD, March 28: Pakistan is expected to have a massive 121.9 million acre feet (MAF) of water at its disposal during the forthcoming Kharif season against 77 MAF required under the 1991 Water Accord, Dawn has learnt. As such, the country would have about 47.9 MAF of surplus water or 65 per cent higher than total Kharif requirement. The season starts from April 1 and lasts till end of October.

However, more than 20 MAF of water would go down to the sea even after filling the dams for the next Rabi season owing to lack of adequate storage or provincial utilization capacity.

The technical committee of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa), therefore, unanimously decided on Monday to meet provincial indents “in full as per para-2 of the Water Apportionment Accord 1991” for the first time after 1999.

The Kharif would start with a carryover storage of about three million acre feet, again for the first time in five years, the technical committee estimated. Under para-2, the Kharif share of Punjab and Sindh comes to 37.07 MAF and 33.94 MAF, respectively.

The provinces were also informed by the technical committee that they would be provided with “as much water as they require” according to their utilization capacity by invoking para-4 of the water accord.

Under para-4, the balance (surplus) river supplies, including flood supplies, are distributed on the basis of 37 per cent each to Punjab and Sindh and 12 and 14 per cent to Balochistan and the NWFP, respectively.

The technical committee meeting, presided over by Irsa chairman Aman Gul Khattak, also decided to present for approval the anticipated water availability as agreed by the participants to the Irsa advisory committee to be held in the first week of April.