New Delhi, April 6 (NationPress) A significant dispute has emerged in Pakistan regarding the allocation of water resources among its provinces, with the southern province of Sindh expressing strong objections just before a pivotal meeting of Pakistan’s water management authority to decide allocations for the kharif season, as reported by local media.

Pakistan’s water regulatory body is set to convene without meeting its own legal composition requirements, raising serious concerns about the legitimacy of the decisions that will influence the livelihoods of millions of farmers.

The Indus River System Authority’s Advisory Committee is slated to evaluate water availability on April 7, yet the lack of a permanent representative from Sindh and a federal member from Sindh leaves the committee incomplete at a time when accuracy and trust are crucial, according to an article in the Karachi-based Business Recorder.

This situation is more than just a procedural lapse. Water distribution has historically been a highly sensitive political issue in Pakistan, and the authority responsible for managing it gains its legitimacy through proper representation and adherence to the law. In this instance, both aspects appear to be compromised. Sindh’s representative remains unappointed without a clear justification, while the federal government has not yet designated a Sindh-domiciled federal member despite a longstanding legal requirement. This results in a regulatory body functioning in a grey area, expected to make decisions that are likely to be challenged, the article lamented.

This imbalance is neither new nor accidental. The position of the federal member from Sindh has been effectively vacant for 16 years, with officials from other provinces occupying the role, contrary to the mandated framework. This history underscores current anxieties, indicating that what should be an exception has become an ingrained practice. When legal provisions are repeatedly ignored over such an extended period, institutional credibility diminishes, leading to a reluctance among stakeholders to accept the outcomes, the article notes.

The timing exacerbates the situation. The upcoming meeting will evaluate river flows and determine water availability for the kharif season, a critical time for agricultural production. Although reservoir levels are projected to be better than last year, early indications suggest that Sindh's request for timely kharif water may not be fully satisfied due to decreased carryover levels in Tarbela. In such circumstances, even minor disagreements can escalate rapidly, particularly if one province feels sidelined in the decision-making process, the article observed.

Adding to the complication is the ongoing overlap of roles within the authority. The outgoing Sindh member, whose resignation has yet to be officially acknowledged, is anticipated to attend the meeting while simultaneously holding a position in the provincial government. Such arrangements further obscure institutional boundaries and undermine the perception of neutrality essential for fair resource distribution, it stated.

The legal aspect is equally crucial. The mandate to appoint a Sindh-domiciled federal member stems from an executive order that remains constitutionally protected. Ongoing legal disputes over prior appointments have already exposed the vulnerabilities of the current structure. Continuing with an incomplete composition, despite these legal and judicial warnings, demonstrates a disregard for procedural integrity at a time when governance standards should be tightening, the article added.