On the 14th of March on the occasion of the International Day of Action for Rivers, communities around the world are coming together in solidarity to safeguard rivers and demand access to clean, free-flowing water. Healthy rivers are essential for biodiversity, climate regulation, and cultural traditions, yet they are increasingly threatened by pollution, climate change, and unsustainable development. This year’s theme, ¨Our Rivers, Our Future¨, highlights the vital role rivers play in sustaining life on Earth. It calls for global unity in defending water rights, opposing harmful projects, and ensuring that local communities have a say in river management.
The protection of rivers is intertwined with the right to self-determination. Water is not merely a resource, it is vital to communities, economies, and cultures. When control over rivers and water access is taken away from local populations, it erodes their autonomy and threatens their way of life. Indigenous and marginalized communities worldwide, including those in Sindh, have long advocated for their right to manage their natural resources according to their environmental knowledge, traditions, and needs. Ensuring that communities have control over their water sources is not just an ecological necessity but a fundamental issue of justice, sovereignty, and survival.
Sindh, a province in southeastern Pakistan, has been a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) since 2002, represented by the World Sindh Congress. The Sindhs have been advocating for their right to self-determination, the preservation of their cultural heritage, and the fair distribution of resources. The struggle to protect the Indus River is not just about water, it is about the survival of a people, the safeguarding of their lands and livelihoods, and their fundamental right to decide their own future.
However, in Pakistan, the rapid expansion of 6 new canal infrastructure and the push for corporate farming are placing Sindh’s water security, ecological balance, and agricultural sustainability at grave risk. Sindh is already grappling with a 20% water deficit under the 1991 Indus Water Accord, and the new canal projects threaten to further divert water upstream, worsening an already dire water crisis. This imbalance in water distribution is set to disproportionately affect Sindh, where millions of people rely on the Indus River for their livelihoods, agriculture, and drinking water supplies. The combination of reduced water flows, environmental degradation, and increased competition for resources is amplifying the social and ecological challenges faced by the province.
The destruction of the Indus Delta is worsening, with freshwater inflows already reduced by 75%, causing severe ecological damage. Seawater intrusion has rendered 1.2 million acres of land infertile, and the loss of mangrove forests and fisheries has devastated coastal livelihoods. The proposed Cholistan Canal, which would divert 4,120 cusecs of water from the Sutlej River, is poised to worsen desertification in Sindh while benefiting Punjab. The accelerated canal expansion, coupled with corporate farming initiatives under the Green Pakistan Initiative, will further strain Sindh’s already limited water resources, threatening both agricultural sustainability and environmental balance.
Rising Social Unrest and Frustration
The exclusion of Sindh from decision-making processes regarding water allocation, combined with the overexpansion and abuse of the rivers, has led to an imbalance, pushing local communities to the brink. Mass protests across Sindh, led by political groups, farmers, and civil society organizations, are reflecting the growing frustration over unfair water allocation. Farmers fear that increased upstream diversions, driven by the expansion of canal infrastructure, will deprive them of essential irrigation water. This would lead to widespread poverty, forced migration, and a collapse of rural livelihoods. Additionally, the Green Pakistan Initiative, which promotes corporate farming, exacerbates the problem. Large corporations are taking control of land and water resources, leaving local farmers vulnerable. Water distribution remains heavily in favor of Punjab, while small farmers struggle. Corporate farming prioritizes export crops over local food production, threatening food security for the broader population and undermining Sindh’s agricultural sustainability. The lack of consultation with Sindhi stakeholders has further fueled perceptions of regional discrimination, intensifying social and political tensions. This systemic imbalance is increasingly viewed as an injustice, deepening Sindh’s marginalization.
UNPO stands in solidarity with Sindh and river defenders worldwide, asserting that water is a shared right, not a privilege. The fight for free-flowing rivers is a fight for justice, dignity, and the future of generations to come.
The World Sindh Congress will protest to save the Indus River and oppose new canals in Punjab, with demonstrations at Pakistani embassies/consulates in London, New York, Los Angeles, Houston, and Toronto.
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