HYDERABAD: Sindh Dost Rabita Council has called for resolution of water dispute on the basis of Sindh-Punjab water agreement of 1945 because, it argues, the 1991 water accord was imposed at gunpoint and was therefore unconstitutional.

The council met here on Wednesday and formulated a six-point charter of demands on burning issues of Sindh including water, finance, oil and gas, immigrants and language, control of ports and Sindh’s representation in federal institutions and services.

The meeting said that 1973 Constitution pre-supposes distribution of water in accordance with the 1945 Sindh-Punjab water agreement and a water dispute mechanism was provided in the 1973 Constitution through the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

It termed the 1991 water accord a flagrant violation of the 1973 Constitution and claimed that Punjab had rights only on Jhelum-Chenab rivers and the province had to surrender five per cent of its share to Sindh from these rivers as well. It called for abolition of water and power ministry at the centre because, it contended water and power were provincial subjects under the 1973 Constitution and no such ministry was in existence at that time.

The meeting claimed that Wapda had to be run under the supervision and control of CCI under article 154 of the Constitution. Wapda must act under joint control of provinces though CCI and the chairmanship should be rotated among the provinces, the council said.

It said that Hesco and KESC were provincial entities under article 157 of the Constitution and must therefore be taken over by Sindh government. Irsa Act should be repealed and replaced with a new act incorporating water sharing based on 1945 water treaty, said the meeting.

The council urged the PPP to disown NFC recommendations in which Sindh had been made to pay total bill of the federation from its tax revenue. The other provinces had been allowed to retain their tax revenue through a contrived interpretation of article 160 of the Constitution, it said.The meeting rejected Sindh government’s claim that it would get Rs72 billion extra this year and urged the president not to sign the NFC in the interest of Sindh.

It had been admitted in the NFC recommendations that Sindh contributed 50 per cent to the federation but in reality the federation recovered 70 per cent revenue from Sindh, it said.

The council said that under article 154 of the 1973 Constitution, oil and gas had been placed under the control of CCI. The ministry of petroleum and natural resources had been created in violation of the Constitution and should be abolished. The oil and gas should be handed over to CCI and income from both the resources should be given to provinces, it said.

The council observed that onslaught of illegal immigrants from the upcountry and abroad was rapidly changing Sindh’s demography and urged Sindh government to establish detention centres for illegal immigrants and deport them to their original countries in cooperation with the federal government.

It demanded that the upcountry settlers should not be given any right to participate in the political process and they should not be registered as voters in Sindh.

The council proposed that Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashto, Balochi and Seraiki should be declared as national languages.

The council pointed out that Balochistan chief minister had been appointed chairman of Gwadar Port Authority but Sindh government had failed to take over control of its ports. It urged Sindh government to seize control of Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim Authority.

The council deplored that Sindh had been deprived of its share in federal institutions, corporations and services and alleged that Sindh had been discriminated against in judicial appointments in Sindh High Court and Supreme Court.

Sindh High Court should be reconstituted with 80 per cent representation of Sindhi speaking people and a federal constitutional court based on equal representation of all provinces should be established, the council demanded.

It urged the government to appoint a high-powered commission with equal representation of all provinces to allocate a judicious share of each province in the federal government departments, armed forces, corporations and autonomous bodies.

The council demanded 30 per cent representation of Sindh in all federal institutions, corporations and services including armed forces and warned unless these demands were accepted, Sindhis would reject any constitutional scheme and continue struggle for their rights.