Sindh CM Urges PM Sharif to Halt Dam Filling Amid Water Crisis

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has called upon Prime Minister Mian Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif to halt the filling of dams until the monsoon season. The Chief Minister, in a letter sent on Thursday, highlighted a severe water crisis in Sindh, warning that vital water supplies are being diverted, leading to major shortages during the crucial early Kharif sowing season.

CM Shah urged the Prime Minister to instruct the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) to guarantee Sindh’s water shares under the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord. He criticized the ongoing release of water into the Taunsa-Panjnad and Chashma-Jhelum link canals, which divert water from the main Indus River system to Punjab’s tributaries.

According to the Chief Minister, Sindh is experiencing a 41 percent shortfall in its allocated water supply. On June 6, the province’s water utilization was 57,867 cusecs against an allocated 98,700 cusecs. In contrast, Punjab faced a 10 percent shortfall, drawing 97,970 cusecs against an allocation of 109,100 cusecs.

These shortages persist despite a 40 percent improvement in overall water availability compared to the previous year. Total inflows into the Indus River system currently stand at 216,894 cusecs, an increase from 154,407 cusecs during the same period last year. National reservoirs also show a 16 percent increase in storage, totaling 4.07 million acre-feet (MAF) compared to 3.504 MAF last year.

Mr. Shah pointed out that despite higher inflows and healthier reservoirs, Sindh’s canal withdrawals have decreased by 33 percent, from 86,293 cusecs last year to 57,867 cusecs this year. Concurrently, diversions to the Chashma-Jhelum and Taunsa-Panjnad link canals have risen by 16 percent, from 23,586 cusecs to 27,316 cusecs.

He expressed concern that operational priorities appear to focus on maximizing reservoir storage and canal diversions rather than ensuring equitable distribution. The low water levels at Sindh’s barrages are now reportedly threatening supplies to both Sindh and neighboring Balochistan. Sindh continues to support Balochistan despite its own acute shortages.

According to Dawn Pakistan, the letter was sent on Thursday, June 12th, 2026.