LARKANA: Pakistan Peoples Party Sindh President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has asserted that the province has the rightful claim over Indus River water and that the ruling party will not allow any encroachment of the right.

He was talking to journalists at a Majlis-i-Aza in his native Aqil village on Saturday.

He called upon the federal government to fully implement the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord and ensure that at least 10 million acre-feet is released downstream Kotri.

Khuhro lamented that the accord is not being properly implemented and, as a result, millions of acres of Sindh’s land are being devoured by sea. The insufficient water release downstream Kotri is also endangering mangrove forests, aquatic life and environment, besides farming, he said.

Besides a 30-40pc water shortage in Sindh, Indus water is being stolen between Taunsa and Guddu, he alleged. He regretted absence of a telemetry system to monitor this theft.

He said: “Irsa (Indus River System Authority) has failed to ensure a transparent water distribution process. In times of shortage, the deficit should be shared equally by all provinces but, instead, Sindh is left to face disproportionate cuts in its water share,” he lamented.

Condemning India’s unilateral act of holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, Khuhro hailed the recent verdict of the International Arbitration Court in favour of Pakistan and termed it a diplomatic victory. He attributed the victory to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s efforts.

The international community should pressure India to revoke its unlawful unilateral act, he stressed.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2025