New Water Policy and Practice Volume 1, Number 2 - Spring 2015 | Page 54

Water Disputes between Punjab and Sindh: A Challenge to Pakistan

for the CCI, but since it was inactive, the CE dealt with the problem at the apex.
Subsequently, provinces have directly approached the Secretariat of the CE, much
to the apprehension of IRSA (ibid). Further demonstrating a declining trust in
IRSA’s ability to ensure that its decisions are implemented, the government of Sindh
decided to send inspectors to upcountry reservoirs to check storage and diversions in
person. Increasingly during 2002, critical decisions were taken in the CE secretariat
in consultation with provincial governors. In 2003, the situation changed again with
the transfer of executive responsibilities by the President to elected governments at
the federal and provincial levels (ibid).

In July 2010, on the issue of opening up Chashma-Jhelum (CJ) Link Canal,
Sindh and Punjab came against each other. Sindh wanted reversal of the decision and
removal of Shahfaqt Masood (a Punjabi) as a chairman, while Punjab stated it would
not compromise with its due share of water. Later on, the matter was resolved by an
intervention by then Prime Minister Gilani. In a compromised arrangement Raqueeb
Khan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was appointed as chairman of IRSA (Daily Times
2010). To divert its attention from Punjab centric allegation over water diversions,
Pakistan alleges India for water shortages but this was denied by former foreign
minister Shah Quereshi, who categorically maintained that Pakistan’s mismanagement
of water leads to wastage of 35 percent of its Indus water share and so it is responsible
for its own water woes (The Nation 2010). This does not absolve the upper riparian
from all allegations.

In 2010, eighteenth amendment was inserted into Pakistan’s constitution. This
amendment has tried to address the inter-provincial water disputes also. Under the
1973 constitution, CCI is prescribed to formulate and regulate policies for matters in
Part II of the Federal Legislative List such as railways, mineral oil, natural gas, and
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