SHC sets three-week deadline for appointment of Federal IRSA member from Sindh

KARACHI May 23, 2025: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday expressed displeasure over the delay in appointing a federal member of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) from Sindh and ordered authorities to finalize the appointment within three weeks.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Faisal Kamal Alam, also directed federal and provincial law officers to submit updates on proposed amendments to the IRSA Act by the next hearing. The court was hearing a petition challenging the construction of new canals in Cholistan and demanding the appointment of Sindh’s representative in IRSA.

The SHC had previously suspended a controversial water availability certificate issued for the canal projects and reiterated its order for the appointment of a federal IRSA member from Sindh.

During Thursday’s hearing, the bench lamented that its earlier directive had not been followed. “The federal member from this province should be appointed without further delay within three weeks,” the court ordered.

When questioned about legislative reforms, law officers revealed that preliminary discussions were underway to amend the IRSA Act. The court emphasized the urgency of the matter, stating: “It is expected that the concerned authorities will recognize the gravity of the situation and act promptly.”

The hearing was adjourned until June 26, with the court instructing officials to complete the appointment and present progress on the proposed amendments. “The amendments should address water allocation, security, riparian rights of Sindh, and national cohesion,” the order stated.

Background of the Case

The petition was filed by Sindh-based grower Qurban Maitlo through his lawyer, Barrister Zamir Ghumro, challenging the appointment of federal IRSA member Asjad Imtiaz Ali as a violation of past SHC rulings. The petitioner also contested the legality of the water availability certificate for the Cholistan canals, arguing that IRSA’s current composition violates the IRSA Act and a 2000 executive order, as affirmed by the SHC in a 2017 judgment.

At an earlier hearing, a federal law officer informed the court that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) had revoked the disputed certificate and decided on April 28 that no new canals would be built without CCI consensus.

Sindh authorities had proposed retired chief engineer Shafqat Hussain Wadho as their nominee for the federal IRSA seat. The SHC stressed the need for legislative reforms to prevent future disputes, warning that such conflicts threaten national unity.