NA body decides to hold exclusive meeting on inter-province water disputes

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Water Resources on Tuesday decided to hold an exclusive meeting on water disputes, as Sindh and Balochistan have yet to resolve disagreements over the installation locations of telemetry systems.

Presided over by Ahmad Atteeq Anwar, the committee also sought details regarding encroached or allotted land of provincial Irrigation Departments over the past ten years.

The issue of encroached land was raised by Syed Waseem-ul-Hasan of MQM during a discussion on the ratification of the previous meeting’s minutes. He inquired about which builders had acquired irrigation department lands in Sindh, Punjab, KP, and Balochistan.

Telemetry system: Sindh-Balochistan dispute deepens

He added that irrigation lands are first encroached, then funds are allocated, followed by corruption. He also expressed concern that citizens of Karachi have already purchased and consumed large amounts of water.

PPP MNA Shazia Marri, attending via Zoom, emphasised that while a productive debate is welcome, drawing immediate conclusions about funding and corruption is inappropriate. She highlighted that improvements are needed within each department’s own domain.

After a brief discussion, the committee requested comprehensive details of irrigation lands and their usage across all four provinces.

Syed Waseem-ul-Hasan also raised concerns about delays in the K-IV project, which is intended to supply water to Karachi. He questioned whether the delays were due to funding or other issues, noting that citizens are forced to buy drinking water. “Karachi is the centre of the economy, yet drinking water is not available,” he said.

Shazia Marri stressed that the lives of Karachiites are closely tied to the K-IV project, and any obstacles delaying its completion should be resolved promptly. She suggested that the committee take the matter to the Prime Minister.

The Secretary of Irrigation Sindh, Zarif Khero, reported that the gates of the Sukkur Barrage are being replaced after 100 years and that work on the K-IV project is ongoing. He added that a summary has already been sent to the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to increase water supply to Karachi.

Committee member Saba Talpur questioned why telemetry systems were not installed on the barrages, emphasizing their importance in preventing water wastage.

The Secretary of Irrigation Sindh apprised the committee that the Sindh government has demanded that water share release to Sindh be measured from the boundary of the province instead of Taunsa Barrage, as there is no water measuring along hundreds of miles of river.

Regarding the dispute between Sindh and Balochistan, Zarif Khero said discussions are ongoing under the auspices of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).

The committee chairman stated that representatives from all four provinces and relevant departments would be called to discuss water distribution to ensure that each province receives its rightful share.

Zarif Khero further noted that repair work on the century-old Sukkur Barrage would commence on January 6 next year and must be completed within 21 days. He mentioned that water supply to Karachi currently stands at 570 cusecs in summer and 520 cusecs in winter—a quota fixed in 1991.

Highlighting Karachi’s growing population, the Secretary said current water requirements need to be reassessed, as the availability of drinking water has decreased in many areas of Sindh. He confirmed that proposals for additional water supply to Karachi have been submitted to the CCI and added that the K-IV project will provide additional water to the city only until 2025.

According to official statement the Standing Committee directed the Irrigation Department of all Provinces to submit a complete record for the last ten years regarding land under its control, including land allotted on lease to farmers and land on which housing societies have been developed.

The Committee also sought detailed information on the extent of illegally occupied land and the legal actions being taken to recover such land from encroachment mafias. Furthermore, the Committee recommended that a comprehensive record of land already retrieved be provided, along with effective measures to prevent future encroachments.

The Standing Committee on Water Resources unanimously reviewed the channelisation and flood management of Nullah Deg in Punjab. The Committee agreed that proper channelisation is vital to protect communities, farmland, and infrastructure in the Rachna Doab area. It noted that weak embankments, silt build-up, and encroachments have raised flood risks and need urgent action.

While appreciating progress up to M.R. Link Canal, the Committee recommended strengthening remaining vulnerable sections, ensuring regular funding, improving inter-departmental coordination, and maintaining the nullah to achieve long-term flood safety.

The Standing Committee discussed key issues of drainage, water logging, and salinity, and stressed the need for coordinated and science-based actions.

The Committee recommended speeding up institutional reforms, upgrading old drainage systems, and strictly enforcing groundwater laws. It emphasized strong coordination between federal and provincial governments to expand proven technologies and strengthen research institutions. The Committee reviewed completed PC-II research studies by IWASRI and appreciated findings on water pricing, pollution control, climate impacts, efficient irrigation, and canal lining, terming them vital for sustainable water management.

During the briefing by representatives of the National Highway Authority (NHA), the Committee expressed serious concern that insufficient cross-drainage structures on major motorways and highways are causing flooding, damaging agricultural land, and disrupting natural water flows.

The Committee recommended that all blocked drainage channels be cleared and rehabilitated immediately, and that culverts be strengthened according to approved engineering standards. It also urged the concerned departments to complete all pending hydrological studies as soon as possible. The Committee emphasized that future road and infrastructure planning should be based on historical flood data and natural topography to prevent recurring losses and protect vulnerable communities.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Zulfiqar Ali Behan, Saba Talpur, Syed Waseem Hussain, Shamaila Rana, Shazia Marri (on Zoom) along with officials from the NHA, WAPDA, Irrigation representative of all provinces (Punjab, Sindh, KPK and Balochistan and the officials of Ministry of Water Resources Islamabad.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025