ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Water Resources Syed Khurshid Ahmad Shah presided over a meeting of the special committee at Parliament House on the directive of the Prime Minister regarding low availability of water to the provinces.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Agha Hassan Baloch, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Ayaz Sadiq, Federal Secretary for Water Resources, Chairman WAPDA, Chairman IRSA, Joint Secretary for Water Resources and other senior officials.

In the meeting, the concerned officials gave a detailed briefing to the committee regarding non-supply of water to Balochistan.

During discussion Federal Minister for Water Resources said that special measures had been taken to ensure timely supply of water to Balochistan.

He maintained that a special team of experts headed by Joint Secretary Water Resources Mehr Ali Shah would visit Guddu and Sukkur Barrages in two days to resolve the issue and submit its recommendations to the government. He added that next year telemetry system would be installed till which an automated and equitable system of water distribution would be established.

On this occasion, Chairman Indus River System Authority (Irsa) Zahid Hussain Junejo said the loss of less water should be equally distributed among all. The meeting decided that all stakeholders should visit Sukkur and Guddu Barrage for two days to witness that whether the distribution of water is fair or not.

Federal Secretary for Water Resources, Dr Kazim Niaz, said that provincial representatives take a hard line in water distribution meetings, adding the issue of water distribution must be resolved politically.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022