ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Wednesday approved the re-appointment of incumbent federal member in the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) for another term of three years, until October 24, 2025.

With this re-appointment, Asjad Imtiaz Ali would become the longest serving member of the water regulator since its inception in 1992. Mr Ali has been working as Irsa member since 2011. He has also officiated as chairman of Irsa for two annual terms on rotation.

Informed sources said the cabinet had approved the re-appointment and his formal notification would be issued by the cabinet division shortly before the expiry of his existing term that began on October 25, 2019.

The ministry of water resources informed the cabinet that Irsa was established through an Act of Parliament in 1992 to implement the Water Apportion­ment Accord of 1991 and it comprised five members — one from each province and one from the federal government.

The members are selected for a term of three years on the recommendation of provincial governments from amongst senior irrigation engineers or related engineering fields.

One of the members is then given the role of the chairman of Irsa for one year on a rotation basis in the order of Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Federation.

Currently, the member of Sindh is the chairman of Irsa which means that Mr Ali would soon be holding the top position.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2022