ISLAMABAD, Oct 30: The federal government has asked retiring members of the Indus River System Authority to continue representing their respective provinces till the appointment of new members.

Officials quoted a notification issued by the prime minister’s secretariat as stating that members, who have recently retired from their post in Irsa or would be retiring shortly, should continue until their replacements are found.

The step has been taken because of delay in the nomination of three-member panel for the post of IRSA members by the Punjab government. Sindh and the NWFP have submitted their respective panels.

Irsa chairman Rahim Khan Zarkun had told the government that water regulating authority had practically become non- functional in the absence of three members and the chief engineer.