Aizaz Raza

Sindh has been the land of the river traditionally.  The river which we call Indus is known as Sindhu in the folkloric books of this region.  There is a whole literature that floats over the dignity of the river, and in a land where it seldom rains, the river becomes as important as gold.  Sindh is an agrarian region where vendors, people and money machinery is connected to the river directly or indirectly. But what if the river that feeds the nation is being bankrupted by outdated and flawed policies and practices that give no productive output to the country. Corporate farming is such practice that is being initiated to create a long-lasting rampage on the river.  It is mind boggling to see why it is happening and what it would give to the lower middle class who solemnly depend on the water of the Indus.  Corporate farming is an operation introduced under the realm of Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI) which aims to create six new canals from Sutlej and Indus to create agricultural lands in the parched land of Cholistan.  What makes it unscientific is the nature of desertification of Cholistan where silt and sand quantity is as high as salt in oceans. The hefty amount being spent on digging and construction of new canals is like flogging a dead horse that has no output.  It is imperative to expound that Sindh's acquaintance with the river is broad and the whole region connects its root to the river which is rich in many aspects historically and geographically. Now, with the new policies and man-made regulations like building canals, the river seems to be under threat. Or, if I may say, we are digging our own geography over the natural geography of the river. This is extraordinarily consequential, and it must be addressed!

On the other hand, Corporate Farming is not a long-lasting solution to the chaos we face like loss of yield of crops and food insecurity across Pakistan. It would switch already agricultural lands to fallow lands where a new wave of parched areas and desertification could emerge resulting in the appearance of vague infrastructure in rural areas creating more problems of Air quality, water pollution, heat Islands and gentrification.  While breeding a solution to food insecurity, we are overlooking other major problems. The proposed Water Apportionment Accord 1991 stands disputed as Sindh is not getting its said share of 10 MAF leaving Kotri downstream into aridity. Most of the regions in the southern part of Sindh Like Badin, Thatta, Sujawal and Tando Allahyar are facing serious water shortages.

The planning Commission and Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has already permitted building six new canals on the river making Cholistan green. Many protests across Sindh and Southern Punjab have emerged to rethink and withdraw this new project.  According to the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Pakistan wastes 21 billion dollars’ worth of water into the sea.  The authorities and Indus River System Authority IRSA claim that for this reason, there should be a technical project to store this water.  For some reasons, this data seems to be uncertain. If such an amount of water goes to sea, why is it not irrigating the downstream lands? Instead of water going to land, it is reaching the sea near the delta.  If, in future, there should be any canal on the Indus, it would be downstream Kotri where the lands and agricultural life is at verge of extinction. In 2018, a survey was conducted by Pakistan Zoological department regarding the quality of biodiversity of fauna in the lower riparian. It is ironic to see that survey concluded that most of the species in the river Indus are endangered species. One of the Prominent species of fish called Palla fish has been regarded as threatened fish due to loss of water in the lower Plain of Indus. The episode of the 2022 floods is not old. It opened up a picture of how the failure of water resources in Pakistan can go to such a level that people could lose their homes and cities due to mismanaged water policies. Through the floods, it was apparent that Indus water is being irregularly operated by the authorities.

To overcome the issue, Pakistan should prepare a three-pronged strategy.  Internationally, Pakistan has been weaker to address its water issue with India. The obsolete Indus water treaty needs to be looked at again as climate change is hovering around and waters of the river have remained under continuous changing.  Pakistan, as a strong UN member, should put forward its demands and case by consolidating recent technicality that Indus is under threat to the illegal water blockade from Kashmir. India has already built Krishanganga and Balighar Power Projects on Jhelum and Chenab.

Nationally, Pakistan needs to settle the water dispute between its provinces. As a country with a diverse nation and a country of rivers that flows from almost three provinces, making decisions on just the central level without considering legit permits from other regions could create new difficulties and disputes.  Before initiation of any project on the river, there should be a joint consensus. Moreover, it has been more than one year since the last Council of Common Interest CCI meeting was held to discuss such sensitive issues and apply the constitution of Pakistan Maneuvers.  According to the 18th amendment, CCI meetings had to happen after every ninety days. It is not just a blurry picture of consensus but also a lack of interest in applying legal provisions in the country that no meeting has happened recently.

Lastly, it is now obvious to think about the cultural cost with economic cost. The Decline of Indus is not just an economic turmoil but also a cultural deterioration. However, it is not just Sindh where culture is under rampage now; Punjab's nativism is also leading towards a new low as they will also remain impacted as it will face problems of quality of agricultural lands and faint settlement pattern in the province if Indus is not regulated properly. Recently, the overall yield of wheat was low in the province, the quality of rice has already been declining due to tentative fluctuations in the Indus River from Kashmir region. The regions like Rajanpur, DG Khan and Layyah were badly affected due to mismanaged water from floods in 2022. Therefore, the narrative of saving Indus must be changed from folkloric to popular narrative. In this manner, saving the Indus River narrative will get a metropolitan importance by reaching at every corner of the country. Meanwhile, all stakeholders must recognize the importance of collaboration and dialogue in addressing challenges of managing water resources. By fostering a cooperative spirit, embracing inclusive decision-making process and prioritizing sustainable practices.

In conclusion, world history tells us that there are great nations getting birth from the charisma of a healthy river.  Pakistan is one of those nations where water plays a significant role. It is the country from where the great Indus Valley civilization originated. Today, for the people of Indus civilization, Indus is sacred. In Sindh, it is worshipped by the farmers and praised by poets; more than priests or politicians, it is Indus they admire. And yet, it is a disappearing river. Thus, it is high time to save this mighty river to overcome water shortages in the country by cutting projects that are unsustainable and inefficient.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official stance of The Himalayan Research Institute Pakistan - (THRIP)

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Aizaz Raza is an author, researcher and columnist, based in Karachi. Mr. Aizaz is a valuable partner of Dahqaan Pakistan. He can be reached at [email protected]