ISLAMABAD: The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah came out swinging on Monday, declaring victory in a bitter water war that had Sindh and the federal government on a collision course.
After a high-stakes Council of Common Interests (CCI) meeting, a smiling CM Shah, told reporters the controversial six-canal project – slammed by political opponents especially by opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Sindhi nationalist political parties as a backdoor water grab – is officially dead in the water.
“This was never about canals. Green Pakistan is about drip irrigation and quality seeds, not digging up the Indus,” Shah said, adding the CCI made the right call in slamming the brakes on the controversial project.
“No canal will be built without consensus,” he declared. “This chapter is closed for now.”
A beaming Shah declared the canal dispute “resolved,” insisting the province’s fears had been addressed, which is a good news for the people of Sindh.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur backed him up, confirming the federal government pulled its notification on the Indus River canal – a move that had sparked fury in Sindh.
But the canal battle wasn’t the only drama. Asked if he pressed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on freeing ex-prime minister Imran Khan, Gandapur said nope – the CCI meeting kicked off without delay and didn’t go off-topic.
Looking ahead, Gandapur said that KP’s water share will be protected, and issues like tobacco revenue, hydropower, and national Finance Commission (NFC) distribution will take centre stage in the next showdown.
Caught all smiles in a group photo with long-time political adversaries including Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz and her uncle, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Gandapur wasn’t amused when pressed on his photo-op demeanor.
“Why do you care about my smile,” he shot back, shutting down the question with a smirk and a snub.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025