THE Indus River System Authority is again in the spotlight. Following in the footsteps of the previous caretaker government, the present regime is also, most painstakingly, working on amending the Irsa Act, 1992. The caretaker government managed an ordinance to amend the Act in February 2024. Former president Arif Alvi declined to sign off on the ordinance and issued a note of objection. However, it became a constitutional fait accompli after the Prime Minister’s Office resubmitted it. Subsequently, its proponents managed to get a former Wapda chairman, known to be a staunch advocate of the controversial proposed Kalabagh dam, notified as the new Irsa chairman. However, the ensuing political maelstrom compelled the PM’s Office to rescind the notification and eventually the ordinance was buried without being promulgated.

The contentious amendment was resurrected recently when a meeting was held at the President’s Office on July 8. According to the minutes of the meeting, officials of the Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI) appri­sed the president of the necessity of an ame­­ndment to the existing Irsa Act, and this was endorsed by the president. This time, a more dubious draft of the amendment was pushed through the Irsa chairman’s office.........

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