KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed the federal and provincial law officers to apprise it about the proposed legislative amendment in the Indus River System Authority Act (Irsa) to permanently settle the water issues.

A two-judge bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Faisal Kamal Alam and Justice Jawad Akbar Sarwana, also directed the federal authorities concerned to appoint federal member of Irsa from Sindh before May 22.

It was hearing a petition filed against planned construction of new canals on the Indus River in Cholistan and seeking appointment of federal member of Irsa from Sindh.

At the outset of hearing on Tuesday, additional attorney general Mohsin Kadir Shahwani filed a statement along the decision taken by the Council of Common Interests (CCI) in its meeting held on April 28.

It stated, inter alia, that the impugned water availability certificate, which has already been suspended by this bench, has been returned and it was also decided in the meeting that no new canals will be built without mutual understanding from the CCI.

The counsel for petitioner, barrister Zamir Ghumro, submitted that one of prayers in the petition stood allowed in view of decision of CCI for returning/setting aside the impugned water availability certificate, but the federal member of Irsa from Sindh had not been appointed yet.

Advocate General Sindh Jawad Dero also filed a statement along with comments and some documents which reflected that the Sindh has proposed retired chief engineer Shafqat Hussain Wadho to be appointed as federal member Irsa from Sindh for a period of three years.

The bench in its order said, “It means that process to appoint federal member from Sindh Province has been initiated by the respondent No. 5 – Government of Sindh, in view of the earlier judgment of this Court, referred to in our previous orders. The federal member from Province of Sindh should be appointed before the next date of hearing”.

The hearing was adjourned till May 22.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2025