ISLAMABAD: The Indus River System Authority on Friday notified the secretary of irrigation for Khy­ber Pakhtun­khwa has as­­sumed the role of Irsa cha­irman until the appoin­tm­ent of a regular KP member.

The federal governme­nt has delayed the appoin­tment of Engi­neer Sahib­zada Muham­mad Shabir, who was nominated by KP as its me­­mber on Sept 10.

“Muhammad Ayaz, Sec­retary Irrigation Depart­ment, Government of Khy­ber Pakhtunkhwa/Mem­ber Irsa KP has assumed the charge of the office of Irsa chairman with effect from Oct 18, 2024, till the appointment of regular member KP,” said the notification issued by the regulator.

The position of KP’s Irsa member has been vacant since May 8, following the completion of Engineer Zahid Abbas’s four-year tenure. Over the following six months, the KP government could not nominate his successor. Interest­in­gly, the KP government spent six years to appoint its previous member in May 2020.

Under Irsa’s regulati­o­­ns, the chairmanship rota­tes annually among the four provincial members and a federal representative. The rotation begins with Balochistan, follo­w­­ed by KP, Punjab, Sindh and the federal government. The chairmanship be­came vacant on Oct 17 after the one-year term of Baloch­istan’s member, Abdul Hameed Mengal, ended.

The law also required that in the absence of a member representing a province, the secretary irrigation department of that province should represent that province. Since the KP has no regular member, the irrigation secretary has automatically become a member and, therefore, Irsa chairman. Interestingly, Mr Ayaz rarely attended Irsa meetings during the KP member vacancy.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2024