PM withdraws Zafar Mahmood's appointment as IRSA Chairman

PM withdraws Zafar Mahmood's appointment as IRSA Chairman

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday withdrew a notification regarding the appointment of Zafar Mahmood as chairman of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA).

The development comes after the PPP strongly opposed the appointment, declaring it “very serious, illegal and unconstitutional”.

The Awami Tehreek, Grand Democratic Alliance, Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party and Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz also strongly opposed the appointment.

A day earlier, PM Shehbaz Shahrif appointed Zafar Mahmood — a retired BS-22 federal government officer — as the IRSA chairman.

Mahmood’s appointment as IRSA chairman had been made under the controversial IRSA Amendment Ordinance 2024 that was returned with reservations by then-president Arif Alvi to then-caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar.