Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Women Wing Karachi Division President Fizza Zeeshan on Sunday raised alarms over the escalating water crisis in the Indus River. She cautioned that if the construction of new canals on the Indus River is not halted, Karachi too will face a severe water scarcity.
In her statement, Fizza accused authorities of intentionally denying Sindh its rightful share of water. She pointed out that the crisis endangers agriculture and the economy in Sindh and could lead Karachi towards an acute water shortage. She highlighted that only 5 million acre-feet of water is currently released into the sea daily, whereas a minimum of 20 million acre-feet is required to avert ecological damage. “The reduced river flow is causing harmful seawater intrusion in coastal districts like Badin, Thatta, and Sujawal.”
Fizza urged the revocation of the controversial IRSA Amendment Act to prevent Karachi from reaching a state where it “craves every single drop of water.” She described the deteriorating Indus Delta as a severe threat to Sindh’s economy, citing historical data that showed a drastic decline in water availability per capita from 5,000 cubic meters annually in 1970 to just 800 today. She warned that ongoing canal projects risk plunging Sindh into severe drought.
Criticizing the failure to implement the 1991 Water Accord, she argued that Sindh was being deprived of its fair share. She noted that during PTI’s tenure, the Council of Common Interests had acknowledged Sindh’s water demands and established a committee for equitable distribution.
The PTI women wing leader questioned the rationale behind sacrificing fertile lands for barren ones, deeming it unjust. She called on residents of Karachi and Hyderabad to protest, warning that without action, water from Kotri Barrage may soon become a “distant dream.”
She rejected secretive water division decisions, emphasizing that allocation must reflect public will. Criticizing the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party, she accused it of misleading Sindh’s people while retaining government positions.