Blocking Rivers is a Crime Against Nature, Says NTUF

KARACHI – “Rivers are a living reality, and obstructing their natural flow is both a crime and an act of ecological self-destruction. Water aggression is not just an attack on the federation’s foundations but also a catastrophic threat to the entire region. The destruction of the Indus River is not merely a matter of Sindh’s survival; its devastation will push 250 million people into hunger, poverty, and environmental collapse. Supporting the ongoing mass resistance in Sindh to save the Indus River from annihilation is a historical duty of every individual, group, and nation concerned with its future.”

These views were expressed by prominent intellectuals and public representatives during a seminar titled “Indus River: The Lifeline of Sindh Under Threat” organized by the National Trade Union Federation Pakistan (NTUF) and the youth organization Alternate on the occasion of the 28th International Action Day for Rivers at the Karachi Press Club on Friday. The event was presided over by NTUF Secretary General Nasir Mansoor.

Mansoor said that Pakistan’s coastal areas were once home to the world’s seventh-largest mangrove forests and that the Indus Delta was the world’s fifth-largest delta. He added that the Ramsar Convention mandates the protection of islands, deltas, and coastal forests, with 10 out of Pakistan’s 19 Ramsar sites located in Sindh. Violations of this convention have led to the destruction of the delta, marine forests, and islands, further worsening the ecological crisis, he said.

Home Based Women Workers Federation Secretary General Zehra Khan emphasized, “The river is a living being, and if you hurt it, it will react. In Thatta and Badin, we can already see the ocean eating away at the land. The river should not be touched.” She warned that the 6 Canal project is like a suicide bombing, first affecting Sindh and then everyone in its path, and will contribute to climate change. Khan noted that an unaware public becomes the enemy’s biggest army.

She further explained that big dams are not acceptable worldwide, pointing out that Tarbela Dam affectees are still awaiting compensation while Mangla Dam affectees were given UK visas only. According to Khan, when Punjab was divided, there were two headworks, and after India stopped the Sutlej flow, an agreement was reached where India would gradually reduce water flow. “Our three rivers were sold to India through World Bank mediation in 1954 – Eastern rivers to India and Western rivers to Pakistan,” she stated.

Academic Sajjad Zaheer said that NTUF and HBWWF have clarity on Sindh issues. He mentioned that they are fighting against the 6 Canal based on Marxist philosophy. Zaheer pointed out that the Hakra river has disappeared and canals have been carved out of the Indus River many times in the past. He recalled how Sindh resisted against the Kalabagh Dam.

“Without water, we will face devastation. Seventy percent of revenue comes from agriculture,” Zaheer noted, adding that this is not just a matter of the Sindhi language but an issue for everyone. He criticized the PPP and President Asif Zardari, mentioning that the Sindh government was booking protesters under the anti-terrorism act. Zaheer concluded that they are weak at this time because of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act, which is being used to crush dissent.

Tabassum Khoso of Imdad Foundation spoke about the need to wage this struggle collectively, stating that without unity, there is no gain in either political or civil society. Khoso observed that the ocean is engulfing Thatta and Sajawal, and called for Karachi to stand up as these are issues affecting everyone. “Sindh water belongs to Sindh, not Punjab or any other province,” Khoso declared, pledging to continue fighting to protect the Indus River and its water for Sindh.

Journalist Mehnaz Rehman warned that corporate farming will adversely affect Sindh. She explained that subsoil water is killing fresh water and no river has been affected like the Indus River. Rehman traced the problem back to the British era when they made Canal colonies. She noted that a water crisis is looming while the population continues to grow, and emphasized that farmers are finding it difficult to water their lands. “These canals are illegal,” Rehman asserted.

Social influencer and activist Ali Ahmed Jan explained that the Indus River originates from Gilgit-Baltistan, and in the Shina language, the word used for river is “Sindh.” He stated that GB people did not need a dam and when people resisted the Bhasha Dam, they were labeled as traitors. Jan pointed out that projects in GB are destroying the environment, with displaced mountains causing deadly rockfalls. “So-called development has become destruction for people,” he concluded.

Intellectual Aman Ullah Shaikh observed that nationalism is gradually taking the shape of chauvinism. He described themselves as representatives of city nationalism and pointed out that after partition, the Sindh middle class Hindus were forced to leave their homes, yet today they stand together with the current middle class. Shaikh stressed that until the middle class seriously involves itself in politics, there will be no change.

Academic Dr. Asghar Dashti highlighted that water is not reaching the Indus Delta due to obstruction, causing climate-induced migration. He characterized the Green Pakistan Initiative as an imperialist project benefiting the ruling class while the working class bears its brunt. Dashti called for unity in the struggle and noted that Karachi people are not adequately sensitized about this issue. He criticized the Sindh government for changing its statements regularly on the issue without providing clarity.

Academic Dr. Riaz Shaikh criticized the state for not learning from past mistakes. He mentioned that universities have been instructed to organize student rallies against the Baloch insurgency, calling this act shameful. Shaikh explained that the 6 Canal was proposed under the pretext of making the Cholistan area green for an agricultural revolution, comparing it to Ayub’s failed green revolution. He held WAPDA responsible for the country’s water crisis and called for its audit, noting that it has only been run by military personnel with no civilian chairman appointed. “The 6 Canal is a guise for letting the elite conduct real estate business,” Shaikh asserted, calling for modernization of the water distribution system and for state institutions to work independently.