Poisoned rivers

The eastern rivers of Pakistan – Ravi, Sutlej and Beas – were once vital arteries of life and agriculture. Now, they have been reduced to trickles of sewage and poison. The gradual choking of these rivers, largely due to India’s upstream diversions and unchecked dumping of pollutants, is not only an ecological catastrophe but also a direct challenge to Pakistan’s sovereignty and constitutional duty to protect public welfare. The Indus Waters Treaty never sanctioned this behaviour. And yet, India has diverted flows into deserts with little agronomic value, while dumping millions of litres of untreated industrial waste into channels that eventually poison Pakistan’s plains. The Ravi, in particular, has become a toxic stream, bringing in heavy metals and effluents from across the border.

This is no longer just a water dispute. It is a public health emergency. Our control over our environment, our economy and our people’s well-being is at stake. Pakistan must urgently recalibrate its response. This includes activating international legal forums, demanding environmental flows as per global norms and documenting the damage for climate justice platforms. We must speak up for our rivers, our health and our sovereignty.

Riaz Missen

Islamabad