ISLAMABAD:
Concerns over acute water shortages in Sindh and Balochistan sparked a heated debate in the National Assembly on Thursday as PPP lawmakers questioned official water allocation figures and demanded answers over shortages in agriculture and irrigation.
The issue came up during an attention notice moved in Parliament where PPP leaders warned of a worsening water crisis in Sindh.
However, Federal Minister Moeen Wattoo defended the government’s position and data from the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), claiming that Sindh had received more than its allotted share of water.
Speaking in Parliament, PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar said that Sindh was facing a severe shortage of water and questioned how farmers could be expected to grow crops without adequate supplies.
“At this time, Sindh is facing an acute water shortage,” Qamar said, asking what response could be given to the growers if water was not available during the sowing season.
Reacting to the notice, Federal Minister Moeen Wattoo said that IRSA’s data showed that Sindh had consumed more water than its allotted share, while Balochistan had also received water as per its entitlement.
“According to IRSA, Sindh has used more than its allotted share of water,” Wattoo said. He added that Sindh was currently being supplied with 140,000 cusecs of water.
The minister’s figures were immediately challenged by PPP lawmakers. Shazia Marri objected to the data and questioned why the telemetry system meant to improve transparency in water distribution had still not been installed.
“The federal minister’s figures are not correct,” Marri said, adding that rainwater discharges could not be counted as part of Sindh’s share.
In response, Wattoo said the telemetry system would be complete by 2027 and defended the accuracy of the government’s data. “How can I enter wrong numbers?”
