The growing political polarisation in the country seems to be taking yet another form: the governments of Punjab and Sindh are set on a collision course over the distribution of water. Even at the level of Chief Ministers, the dispute has taken a strong parochial colour, after resignations were offered by members representing Sindh and the Federation (who hails from Sindh) from the management board of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA).
Sindh says that the acting chairman IRSA, who represents Punjab, decided to order the reopening of the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal, the order is illegal and violative of the IRSA water distribution formula. Accusing the acting chairman of 'crossing the line' by ordering reopening of the link canal, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has asked the federal government to immediately reverse the IRSA decision.
As he spoke these words, his counterpart in Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, was saying - to nodding echo from the PPP-led opposition in the provincial assembly - that 'Punjab will not compromise on its water share'. The acting chairman IRSA avers that he issued the order after consultation with the Federal Ministry of Water and Power. Until and unless the Federal government changes its stance on the issue at a meeting, expected to be invited by Prime Minister Gilani shortly, the link-canal reopening decision will hold the field as it is said to enjoy concurrence of the Federal government.
And the statement issued by the IRSA, in response to the resignations of its members from Sindh and the Federation, says it all. The provinces are presently getting their due shares, so there should be no cause for resentment. As for reopening of the link canal, it was to augment water availability at Trimmu on River Chenab, which feeds south Punjab, in line with the Indus Water Treaty text that the link canals should operate essentially "to manage the Indus Basin as an integrated entity". So, according to IRSA, the reopening of the canal, closed since February 10, was a judicious action, taken as it was on a need basis. But such an argument is not acceptable to Sindh, which as a lower riparian, is an internationally recognised equal, and if required, Sindh would ask for 'restructuring' the IRSA. But Punjab is likely to oppose the move, as reflected from Shahbaz Sharif's assertion that Punjab would offer no more sacrifices and would seek strict compliance with the water distribution formula laid down in the 1991 Water Accord.
Given that water levels in the dams have started rising and the provinces are receiving their full shares, the sound and fury generated in provincial capitals over the issue of the IRSA decision to reopen the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal is expected to dissipate. But it is the parochial dimension that the controversy tended to acquire that leaves a bad taste in the mouth - and a forewarning that there is no dearth of issues that undermine national unity and solidarity. It's not the time that such issues should be allowed to fester and ripen into cancerous threats to the Federation.