Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has withdrawn the appointment notification of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) chairman.
PM Shehbaz has taken notice of the Sindh government’s reservations over the IRSA chairman's appointment.
Earlier, Sharif appointed Zafar Mahmood, a grade 22 officer, IRSA chairman.
Irrigation Minister Jam Khan, PM Shehbaz Sharif and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah held telephonic discussion on the matter after which the premier decided to withdraw the notification.
The Sindh chief minister informed PM Shehbaz about the reservations the province had on the IRSA chairman's appointment. He said the federal government could not appoint the officer.
IRSA, which regulates the water distribution among the four federating units Punjab, Sindh, KP and Balochistan, has chairman picked on a rotation basis from the four provincial members.
During the tenure of caretaker prime minister Anwarul Haq Kakar, the Irsa Amendment Ordinance 2024 was passed and it empowers the prime minister to appoint the IRSA chairman from the federal government.