Karachi: A delegation of water experts from Australian Aid presented various suggestions for facilitating more efficient water sharing between the provinces at a meeting with Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah, according to a news report.
This delegation was headed by Australian High Commissioner Margaret Adamson. Other members included Muawaz Kazmi from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), First Secretary Emma Leahey, and water experts Dr Mobin Ahmad and Hamza Khalid.
Shah suggested that the river stem model of the Indus Basin in Pakistan – tied with the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord – would be ideal for exploring various water sharing options. This would also help experts understand the potential impact of climate change and dam sedimentation concerned with Sindh’s water security.
He was assisted by Special Assistant Ashfaq Memon, Principal Secretary Sajid Jamal Abro, and irrigation officials M. Shahbaz and Zareef Iqbal.
The delegations discussed the ‘Water Sector Task Force Report’, which highlighted the issues faced in the Indus Basin related to water distribution. The Australian delegation recommended the use of the Indus Integrated Modelling Framework (IIMF), under which surface water would be allocated based on the analysis of climate, rainfall, snowfall, and glacier melt trends.
