When the mangroves fall…

In Pakistan, mangroves have long protected our people, our coasts and our way of life. They are life-givers. They protect villages from floods and storms, support thousands of fishermen and play a major role in fighting climate change. But today, they are being destroyed in silence. Across Sindh and Balochistan, mangrove forests are being cut down for housing schemes, factories and commercial projects. No one asks what happens to the people who live nearby or to the marine life that depends on these forests. Entire communities are losing their homes, livelihoods and sense of belonging. When mangroves are removed, it is the poor who suffer first. When floods come, when fishing dries up and when the sea pushes further inland, it is the people with no voice who pay the highest price. I ask the authorities and the people to listen. Stop the destruction of mangroves. Protect the coastline. Include the local people who have lived with these forests for generations. Let conservation be led by those who are greatly affected. Mangroves are indispensable. Saving them means saving lives.

Muhammad Shahjahan Memon

Islamabad