Monday, November 02, 2009 "ISLAMABAD" PAKISTAN: The Sindh government has blamed the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) for violating the inter-provincial Water Apportionment Accord (WAA) 1991, The News has learnt. “As far as water distribution is concerned, the only thing in vogue is the 1991 Water Accord. The Irsa is a creation of the 1991 accord and the creation cannot alter or violate the accord under which it was created,” an official letter sent to the Irsa by the Sindh government says. The document was duly signed by Sindh Minister for Irrigation and Power Murad Ali Shah and was addressed to the Irsa through its provincial member Mohammad Khan Memon.“The Irsa decided, in its last advisory committee meeting, not to entertain any provincial pressure in water distribution since all federating units have their representation in the authority to discuss and take vital decisions,” an Irsa spokesman responded when approached. The Irsa spokesman said not only Sindh Minister Murad Shah but also Punjab Minister Raja Riaz, in their separate letters, had sought water distribution in accordance with their respective province’s interpretations. “All Irsa members, five in all, unanimously took a decision to go by the accord in accordance with the three tier mechanism instead of accepting any pressure,” he said while expressing indifference to Sindh’s latest letter wherein Irsa was directly blamed for violation of WAA. Sindh Minister Murad, early October, wrote a letter to the water and power minister, calling for water distribution under para-2 of the WAA which Punjab Minister Riaz has rejected.“It is requested that looking at the people’s government manifesto of equity, the Irsa may be directed for fixing water shares of all provinces proportionate to the allocation given in para-2 of the accord,” Murad’s earlier letter said. In the latest communication on the Rabi season allocations, finalised by Irsa on Oct 13, 2009, Murad again sent an official communication to the Irsa on Oct 22, 2009. “I want to reiterate to Irsa that as far as water distribution is concerned, the only thing in vogue is the 1991 Water Accord. “Any use of historic uses in any form will be a violation of the accord as determined by the law division,” his letter reads. “How can Irsa decide to use any criteria in the absence of decision?”The Irsa conveyed in its Oct 15 official letter: “In the absence of any decision by the authority on the issue, it has been decided by Irsa that criteria for Rabi 2009-10 as per practice in vogue may be issued”. However, Murad described this statement as self-contradictory. “In view of the expected pressure, the five Irsa members took a decision not to bow before any pressure,” Irsa spokesman Khalid Idris said. More

Monday, November 02, 2009 " LAHORE" PAKISTAN: The PPP and its allied parties will meet at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday (today) to devise a strategy for getting the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) passed by parliament. The meeting, to be followed by a dinner, has been convened by President Asif Ali Zardari. Sources said the president, who is also the co-chairman of the PPP, is expected to take the PPP allies into confidence on the NRO passage in the National Assembly. The invitation for the meeting has been sent to all the parliamentary leaders of the allied parties, including the JUI-F, ANP and MQM, as well as the MNAs from Fata. Besides, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, federal ministers and close aides to the president are also expected to participate in the meeting. The sources said the president would also take his allies into confidence on the Kerry-Lugar Law and the Waziristan operation. The NRO has already been approved by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Law. However, the MQM, which abstained from voting, has given rise to doubts about its intentions among PPP members.“We have been invited to a dinner by President Zardari, and any issue could come under discussion when the coalition parties meet,” Haider Abbas Rizvi, the deputy parliamentary leader of the MQM, said. About supporting the PPP over the NRO, he said his party would take a decision in this regard in a couple of days. Sources in the PPP said the party wanted to gain maximum support of parliamentarians to get the NRO passed, but it had to accelerate its efforts after dissenting voices were heard from the ANP and even the MQM. The PPP enjoys the support of 125 MNAs, whereas the MQM enjoys the support of 26 MNAs, which take the number to 151. The ANP, a party with 13 seats in the National Assembly, is yet to give a nod to the PPP over the issue. Both the ANP and the MQM in their respective parliamentary meetings reportedly decided not to become part of any controversy that might invoke severe criticism from the public and make a dent in their strength in the next polls. A group within the MQM believes that the party has also fought a legal battle in getting these cases cleared in the past and even if the issue is referred to the courts, it could defend its position well. The PPP would be unable to get 50 per cent votes without an active support of the MQM and the ANP in a house of 342, even if it is supported by the JUI-F, which has seven seats and the 12 Fata MNAs. The total number of the PPP and its supporters in the assembly will be 144 in this situation. Even the parties enjoying a lesser strength in the NA, including the PPP-Sherpao (1) and the PML-F (5) could not meet that shortfall, which could only be met if the MQM supports the PPP. The sources said the PPP was primarily focusing on improving its numbers by convincing the MQM to help get passed the NRO. “We enjoy the support of our allies. Being the party with the largest mandate and having the support of our democratic allies, we will get the NRO passed,” Fauzia Wahab, PPP Secretary Information, told The News. She said political parties would have to put an end to the politics of vengeance and victimisation forever. Everybody knew the cases registered against the PPP leaders were politically motivated, she added. More