Experts at a recent seminar in Islamabad stressed the urgent need to reform water management and governance in the Indus River Delta, warning that the region is facing ecological collapse and significant economic losses. The talk, organized by the Climate Resilience Program at the Institute of Regional Studies, highlighted the competing narratives around water use and the critical importance of maintaining natural water flows to the sea.<\/p>\n
Dr. Hameed Jamali, a climate policy and water governance expert, emphasized that freshwater outflows to the sea are essential for sustaining local communities, agriculture, fisheries, and marine ecosystems. He urged policymakers to look beyond purely technical solutions and recognize rivers as living systems that require balanced management.<\/p>\n
The Indus River Delta, the world\u2019s fifth-largest delta and home to 97 percent of Pakistan\u2019s mangrove forests, was once a thriving ecosystem. According to Dr. Jamali, it is now on the verge of collapse. Mangrove coverage has plummeted from 600,000 hectares to just 100,000 hectares, seawater has intruded 80 kilometers inland, and over 80 percent of the delta has become salinized, leading to the displacement of local populations and economic losses estimated at two billion dollars annually.<\/p>\n
While climate change is often blamed for the delta\u2019s declining health, Dr. Jamali argued that governance failures, poor water management, and unchecked development are equally significant factors. He pointed out that flawed narratives\u2014such as the idea that water flowing to the sea is wasted and an over-reliance on large dam projects\u2014have neglected ecological realities and the needs of affected communities.<\/p>\n
Dr. Jamali called for measures such as maintaining ecological water flows below the Kotri Barrage, adopting climate-resilient, basin-level governance, and promoting community-led water stewardship. He advocated moving away from irrigation-centered models to an integrated water resource management approach that combines scientific and local knowledge.<\/p>\n
Supporting these views, Dr. Rizwan Naseer, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Regional Studies, noted that the Indus River Delta is a vital ecological zone and a lifeline for millions, but it has suffered severe degradation due to climate variability, upstream water management practices, and socio-economic challenges. He stressed that these complex dilemmas require timely, evidence-based policy action.<\/p>\n
Concluding the event, Dr. Anjum Rasheed, Head of the Climate Resilience Program, called for urgent policy reforms that prioritize ecological sustainability, community participation, and resilience against future climate and governance challenges.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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