Canal case: SHC issues stay on water availability certificate issued by IRSA

• Petitioner's lawyer argues IRSA's formation was illegal.
• Lawyer says no member from Sindh had been appointed to IRSA.
• Canal project becomes bone of contention between Centre, Sindh.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued on Monday a stay order against the water availability certificate given by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) for the construction of canals in Cholistan and Thal.

The regulatory body approved the water supply to the Cholistan Canal System project, and also issued a water availability certificate to the Punjab government despite opposition from Sindh.

Under the approval, Punjab was allowed to construct the Cholistan Canal project, branching from the Sutlej River at Sulemanki Headworks, according to IRSA, providing access to 450,000 acre-feet of water, which has been termed "an unfair move" for Sindh. 

The certificate, dated January 25, was challenged by the petitioner’s lawyer, who argued that the formation of IRSA itself was illegal.

The lawyer further stated that no member from Sindh had been appointed to IRSA, making the body’s decisions and actions unlawful. 

During the hearing, the federal government requested the court to grant time to file its reply. At this, the court directed the government to submit a detailed response by April 18.

The Cholistan Canal project has become a matter of contention between the federal and provincial governments since Centre announced plans to construct six canals on the Indus River to irrigate the Cholistan desert. 

The project was categorically rejected by its main ally, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and other Sindh nationalist parties.

According to government sources, the estimated cost of the Cholistan canal system is around Rs211.4 billion and through the project, 400,000 acres of land can be brought under cultivation, The News reported.

Almost all political and religious parties, nationalist groups and civil society organisations staged widespread rallies across Sindh against the controversial plan.

The Bilawal Bhutto Zardari-led party has time and again expressed reservations over the project, with President Asif Ali Zardari cautioning the government that some of its unilateral policies are causing "grave strain" on the federation.

Meanwhile, Bilawal urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to roll back the controversial canals project, warning of withdrawing his party's support for the government if the people of Sindh do not accept the proposal of canals. 

Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that the federal government's plan will not see execution as long as PPP exists.