Sindh would take charge of Chairman of Indus River System Authority (Irsa) from October 16, 2011, sources told Business Recorder on Saturday. Irsa is a federal body which consists on five members: one each from Capital (Islamabad) and the four provinces. Members have to work for fair distribution of water share to their provinces according to 1991 Water Accord.
Every member has to stay at job for three years and the Chairman would be from the members on rotation basis. The tenure of Chairman is one year. Sources said that the tenure of current Chairman Irshad Khan (from Punjab) would be completed on 15th October 2011, and Sindh member Mazhar Ali Shah would take over charge of Chairman. Mazhar had joined Irsa on June 16, 2011. He is ever first regular officer of Sindh Irrigation Department who had joined Irsa on his personal will, sources said.
Mazhar said that as Chairman he would work as neutral, when contacted by this scribe. Regarding the statement of Irshad Khan, he said that he had talked about the water flow at Kotri downstream in his personal capacity. Irshad had termed the water flow at Kotri down stream as wastage of water during a program a few days back.
Mazhar said that as Irsa chairman, Irshad had no mandate to talk over the dams and other sensitive issues because Irsa job is only to make fair distribution among all provinces as per 1991 water accord. Sources said that after Sindh, member of Capital (Islamabad) would be Chairman of Irsa. The number of Balochistan would come after the Capital, while KP member would be Chairman after Balochistan.