HYDERABAD: The Sindh irrigation department has objected to the opening of the Taunsa Panjnad (TP) link canal by the Punjab irrigation department on April 15, arguing that the link canal was opened when Sindh was experiencing a severe water shortage at its barrages.

A flow of 2,981 cusecs was reported in the TP link canal on Tuesday.

These flows are diverted to the Jhelum Chenab (JC) zone.

The Sindh irrigation director regulations, in his correspondence to the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) director on Tuesday, reminded him of water shortage calculations. He said that during the first ten daily periods of April 2025, the actual river flows in the Indus at Tarbela and Kabul River at Nowshera that augment flows in the main Indus stem were 21pc and23pc less, respectively, than the minimum scenario adopted by Irsa for Kharif 2025.He said that inflows observed in the Jhelum River at Mangla exceeded the minimum anticipatedscenario by 20pc and it was evident that water availability in JC system was much more than in the Indus system during the first ten days of April.Therefore, he said, releases downstream Panjnad should be made in accordance with the observed river inflow pattern r ather than by initiating the operation of link canals, as doing so could rapidly reduce water availability for lower riparian provinces.

He claimed that in the first ten daily of April, Sindh experienced a 62pc shortage with regard to Water Accord 1991 allocations and 55pc with regard to average system uses (1977-82), whereas Punjab shared 54pc shortages with regard to the Water Accord and 52pc concerningthe actual average system uses (197782). `To balance the water account, there is a need to release more water to Sindh during the remaining period of April as the Irsa Advisory Committee (IAC) has decided the share for month of April only.

He requested that the transfer of water from the Indus JC system be stopped and released downstream of Panjnad to distribute water among the provinces in an equitable and judicious manner.

Punjab claims it lifts water from Indus through the TP link canal as it has a share in the river. TP has a designed discharge of 12,000 cusecs.

It transfers Indus water from Taunsa upstream to Panjnad barrage stream in the Jhelum River command area.

According to Sindh`s member in Irsa Mohammad Ehsan Leghari, he has objected to the opening of TP link canal. `TP link canal can only be opened when there is surplus of water and the water demand of Sindh`s three barrages has been met,` he noted.

Mr Leghari added that right now, the J-C arm has more water flow than the Indus arm. That`s why, he said, the opening of the TP link canal was not justified.

Water is being stored in the two reservoirs currently. Mangla Dam that feeds the JC zone now has considerable storage after hitting the dead level of 1,050 feet on Feb 15. On April 15, storage in Mangla was at 1,107.25.

Against the inflow of 25,000 cusecs, 17,000 cusecs were being stored.

In Tarbela, storage stood at 1,417 feet. Its dead level was recorded at 1,402 feet in February.

The IAC has to meet again next month to review the situation of water flows at rim stations.

Until April 15, an overall water shortage of 47pc was recorded at three barrages of Sindh, with Sukkur reporting 48pc and Kotri 36pc shortage, according to the irrigation department`s calculations in light of allocations under Water Accord 1991 and flows received at the barrages.

The Guddu Barrage canals remain closed for annual maintenance thus all flows are released downstream for Sukkur Barrage. The right bank nonperennial canals of Sukkur Barrage also remain closed.

Irsa Director Operations Khalid Idris Rana told Dawn on the phone that Irsa had received letters from Punjab and Sindh irrigation departments regarding discharges and usage of river water.

`We are examining both the letters and will respond accordingly,` he said while alluding to Punjab`s charge of underreporting of discharge data by Sindh at its barrages and Sindh irriga-tion department`s correspondence regarding the TP link canal.

`Highly irresponsible` Separately, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman expressed concerns over the decision to open the Taunsa-Panjnad Link Canal despite a historic water shortage in the Indus River.

Calling the move `highly irresponsible` and a direct violation of interprovincial harmony, she demanded immediate closure of the canal and convening of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to address the crisis.

`It is extremely irresponsible to open the controversial TaunsaPanjnad Link Canal amid a 50 per cent water shortage,` she said in a statement.

Ms Rehman underscored that the Indus River was already experiencing record-breaking shortages, with current levels setting a 100-year low.

Condemning Irsa`s role, the senator claimed, `Irsa`s partiality is now undeniable. Its decisions are inflicting serious damage on Sindh. We demand transparency, accountability, and fairness in the distribution of Pakistan`s lifeline its water.

She further added that any step to construct new canals without consensus was deeply problematic and warned of devastating ecological and socio-economic consequences.

`Six new canals will turn Sindh`s fertile lands into barren deserts,` the senator cautioned.

The senator underlined PPP`s extensive efforts to counter this project at every political and legislative forum. `PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will address a major jalsa in Hyderabad on April 18 to mobilise public resistance against these anti-Sindh actions,` she said.

Jamal Shahid in Islamabad also contributed to this report