KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday announced the formation of a provincial water task force to assess shortages, treaty-related risks and gaps in water-sharing agreements, saying that the province was consistently receiving less than its allocated share.

Speaking to reporters after attending the closing session of the International Insurance Conference 2026, the chief minister said that the panel of experts would examine issues related to the Indus Waters Treaty, the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord and their implementation.

“The task force will also prepare a report on the potential losses Sindh could suffer as a result of water deficits,” he added.

The chief minister said that the province had consistently received less water than its allocated share. “India’s water aggression is a serious concern for Pakistan,” he added.

Says province has raised its objections to Jalalpur Canal at CCI; announces formation of task force to examine water-related issues

CM Murad said that every province was entitled to its designated share, but Sindh and two other provinces were facing shortages while Punjab remained in surplus.

He said that decisions regarding the Cholistan canals had already been made and were being implemented. “However, Sindh’s objections to the Jalalpur Canal have been placed before the Council of Common Interests for consideration,” he added.

He said that the province had repeatedly raised concerns over the telemetry system and the functioning of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa).

“The provincial cabinet will meet on Thursday (tomorrow), where the formal constitution of the experts’ task force will be considered,” he added.

Urges Centre not to import wheat

On the issue of wheat, the chief minister urged the federal government to ensure locally available wheat was released into the market instead of resorting to imports, recalling that the 2024 wheat imports had harmed growers and affected the following crop cycle.

“We are ensuring the availability of wheat while also protecting the interests of our farmers,” he said.

He explained that the country had adequate stocks. “Sindh produced a record 4.9 million tonnes this year against an annual requirement of about 1.7 million tonnes, while Punjab also reported a strong crop,” he added.

CM Murad said that the provincial government had recovered more than 200,000 tonnes of wheat in operations against hoarders and added that Punjab was also acting against stockpiling.

Referring to the issue of missing children, the chief minister said that the government fully understood the grief and anguish of affected families. “Police have been directed to intensify efforts and the provincial home minister is personally monitoring the matter,” he added.

The chief minister appealed to citizens not to take the law into their own hands. “The government is making every effort to recover the children,” he assured.

CM Murad said the government was also closely monitoring developments in the Middle East. “The fuel-consumption cap introduced under austerity measures in March remains in force, with further decisions to be taken in consultation with the federal government,” he added.

‘Sindh first province to introduce third-party motor insurance’

Earlier, addressing the concluding session of the conference, the chief minister said that Sindh was the first province to make third-party insurance mandatory for all registered vehicles.

He said under the Sindh Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2026, enforced on Feb 23, insurers must provide a cover of up to Rs700,000 for an accidental death and Rs500,000 for a permanent disability, with claims to be settled within 45 days.

He said that digital motor third-party policies had been issued since March. “Nearly 200,000 vehicles have been insured so far, and we expect major growth within a year,” he said.

He said that crop insurance had been exempted from sales tax to support farmers amid climate challenges. “Through the Sindh Social Protection Authority, the government is expanding welfare coverage,” he said.

CM Murad added that the provincial assembly had approved amendments to the Sindh Sales Tax Act through the Finance Bill 2026 to address long-standing issues faced by the insurance sector. “We will work with the industry to make Sindh a business-friendly and sustainable province,” he said.

He congratulated Insurance Association of Pakistan Chairman Shoaib Javed Hussain and his team for organising the event and welcomed international delegates to the city.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2026