Catastrophe in the Delta: How Pakistan’s Indus River is Shrinking and Its Impacts

In the Indus delta of southern Pakistan, the landscape is changing dramatically. As water from the Indus River recedes, the salt-crusted ground crunches underfoot. Habibullah Khatti walks to his mother’s grave, preparing to leave his village, Abdullah Mirbahar, where life is increasingly impossible.

Seawater is flooding the delta, where the river meets the Arabian Sea. This intrusion has devastated fishing and farming. “Saline water surrounds us,” says Khatti, illustrating the struggle many face. Fishing has dwindled, forcing him to find new work as a tailor, but even that opportunity has vanished with most families gone.

Once home to around 40 villages, Kharo Chan’s population has plummeted. Census data shows it dropped from 26,000 in 1981 to just 11,000 in 2023. Khatti now looks to Karachi for a future, joining countless others who have fled the delta. According to the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, tens of thousands have already been displaced, with a staggering 1.2 million people forced to leave in the past 20 years, as reported by the Jinnah Institute.

Why is this happening? A significant drop in the river’s water flow—down by 80% since the 1950s due to irrigation and climate change—has caused severe seawater intrusion. A 2018 study from the U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water highlighted this worrying trend. Salinity levels in the delta have risen by 70% since 1990, wiping out crops and harming marine life.

“The delta is both sinking and shrinking,” warns Muhammad Ali Anjum, a conservationist with WWF. The once fertile land has deteriorated, with over 16% rendered unproductive by seawater, according to a government study from 2019. Villages like Keti Bandar show the impacts clearly, where salt tablets cover the earth, and families must travel long distances to fetch drinking water.

“No one leaves their homeland by choice,” says Haji Karam Jat, who rebuilt his home after the rising tides swallowed his previous one. “People only leave when they have no other option.” His statement resonates with many displaced families who feel they have lost everything.

Interestingly, the history of the Indus River also plays a role in this crisis. It has been transformed by human actions—starting with British colonial projects that redirected its flow. Recent protests against military-led canal projects show that local farmers are beginning to fight back. Initiatives like the “Living Indus Initiative,” launched in 2021 by the government and the United Nations, aim to restore the river and combat ongoing degradation.

On the environmental front, the Sindh government is working on mangrove restoration projects. Healthy mangroves can act as natural barriers against salt intrusion. Yet, land grabbing and development keep threatening these efforts. The ongoing tensions with India risk further water flow reductions, complicating an already dire situation.

Beyond the physical loss of land, communities face a deeper cultural loss. Climate activist Fatima Majeed notes how the migration uproots families from their traditional roles. Women, who once crafted fishing nets and processed catches, struggle to find new opportunities in urban settings. “We haven’t just lost our land; we’ve lost our culture,” she says, highlighting the emotional toll of displacement.

This crisis in the Indus delta is a stark example of how climate change impacts communities at all levels. The future remains uncertain for those like Khatti, who face hard choices as they navigate a rapidly changing environment.

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Pakistan, climate change, environment, drought