Sindh seeks tight security amid water shortage

Safety of Irrigation department officials ‘threatened by antisocial elements’

The Sindh government has sought the deployment of a paramilitary force, the Sindh Rangers, to maintain law and order and to ensure the safety of the Irrigation Department officials in the lower Sindh.

This is in areas where acute water shortage for farming has created security problems.

The Sindh government’s Home Department sent the letter to the Director-General of Sindh Rangers.

Rangers deployment

The Home Department forwarded the request after a recommendation to this effect was received from the Commissioner of Mirpurkhas Division, whose recommendation contained reports that the safety of the Irrigation officials was being threatened by antisocial elements that wanted to pilfer water at the expense of farmers.

“The district administration and Irrigation authorities have requested that Pakistan Rangers troops be deployed in the area to provide support and assistance to the local police and civil administration in maintenance of law and order in the area to enable the Irrigation Department to ensure undisrupted and equitable water distribution,” said the letter.

Earlier, Sindh Irrigation Minister, Jam Khan Shoro, urged the Indus River System Authority to fully act upon the Water Apportionment Accord of 1991, adopted for just distribution of water among the provinces, as otherwise Karachi and other cities of the province could face a shortage of potable water.

He said that Sindh had been getting up to 42 per cent less water than its due share in accordance with the Water Accord-1991.

Due share

In his latest appeal, Sindh Information Minister, Sharjeel Inam Memon, urged the federal government to provide the province with its due water share.

He said that farm production would be gravely affected if the water shortage further persisted as Sindh would not be able to perform its due role in the agricultural economy of Pakistan.