Indus Water Drying Crisis: 1.2 Million People Forced to Leave Pakistan’s Delta Region

Indus Water Drying is no longer just an environmental challenge—it’s a humanitarian emergency. In Pakistan’s Indus delta, rising seawater intrusion is destroying fertile farmland, wiping out fishing grounds, and forcing over 1.2 million people to leave their ancestral homes. According to an AFP report, communities like Abdullah Mirbahar in Kharo Chan—just 15 kilometres from the point where the Indus River meets the Arabian Sea—are on the brink of abandonment.

Villages Disappearing Under Seawater

Once home to about 40 villages, Kharo Chan now has only a fraction of its original population. In 1981, the town’s population was 26,000. By 2023, it had dropped to 11,000. Residents like Habibullah Khatti say they are surrounded by saline water from all sides. With fish stocks depleted and farming impossible, Khatti turned to tailoring—but even that couldn’t sustain his family. “In the evening, an eerie silence takes over,” he said, describing empty bamboo homes with only stray dogs wandering around.

Mass Migration from the Delta

The Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum reports that tens of thousands from coastal districts have migrated inland. A Jinnah Institute study (March 2023) found that more than 1.2 million people have moved out of the Indus delta in the past 20 years. The exodus is largely due to environmental degradation, lack of clean drinking water, and economic collapse in traditional sectors like fishing and farming.

Why the Indus Water is Drying

Water flow into the delta has plummeted by 80% since the 1950s, according to a 2018 study by the US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water. The reasons include:

• Construction of dams and irrigation canals

• Climate change reducing glacier melt and monsoon rains

• Upstream diversions reducing flow to the Arabian Sea

This drastic reduction has allowed seawater to push inland, increasing soil salinity and destroying crops.

The Delta is Sinking and Shrinking

Muhammad Ali Anjum, a conservationist with WWF-Pakistan, warns:

“The delta is both sinking and shrinking.”

A 2019 government study found that over 16% of fertile delta land is now unusable due to saltwater intrusion. In towns like Keti Bandar, the ground is covered with a white crust of salt, and drinkable water must be brought in by boats and delivered on donkey carts.

Impact on Generations of Livelihoods

The Indus River, flowing from Tibet through Kashmir into Pakistan, sustains 80% of the country’s farmland. The delta once provided rich fishing grounds, fertile agricultural soil, and vast mangrove forests. British colonial-era irrigation systems first began altering river flows, but recent large-scale canal projects have worsened the situation, sparking farmer protests in Sindh earlier this year.

Government and UN Restoration Efforts

In 2021, the Government of Pakistan and the United Nations launched the Living Indus Initiative to address river degradation and restore the delta. This includes:

• Restoring mangrove forests

• Reducing soil salinity

• Ensuring minimum water flow to the delta

The Sindh government has initiated mangrove planting drives, which have shown partial recovery in some areas. However, land grabbing and infrastructure projects threaten these gains.

Learn more about the Living Indus Initiative

Rising Tensions with India

Water security has become a geopolitical flashpoint. India’s withdrawal from the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty has raised alarms in Pakistan. Plans to construct dams upstream could further reduce water flow to the delta. Islamabad has called this move “an act of war,” sparking fears of worsening shortages and intensified seawater intrusion.

Read more about the Indus Waters Treaty history

Conclusion

The Indus Water Drying crisis is not just an environmental issue—it’s a test of Pakistan’s resilience, governance, and diplomatic strategy. Without urgent action, the delta—home to centuries-old fishing and farming communities—could disappear entirely. The government, international agencies, and local communities must work together to secure sustainable water flows, restore damaged ecosystems, and protect the millions who call this region home.

Internal Link:
Read our in-depth report on Pakistan’s water scarcity and climate challenges.