In the southern reaches of Pakistan, Sindh province is confronting an unprecedented water crisis that exposes the failures of governmental governance and resource management.
The narrative that emerges is one of systematic neglect, calculated misallocation, and a profound disregard for the fundamental rights of millions of farmers and citizens. The roots of this crisis run deep, stretching back over 150 years of institutional discrimination and resource manipulation.[1]
Current data from the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) reveals a shocking disparity: between 1999 and 2023, Sindh experienced a staggering 40% water shortage compared to Punjab’s mere 15%.[2] This is not merely a statistical anomaly but a deliberate outcome of policy choices that consistently prioritize some regions over others.
The Water Apportionment Accord of 1991, ostensibly designed to ensure equitable water distribution, has instead become a tool of institutional marginalization.[3] Zarif Khero, Sindh’s Irrigation Secretary, has been unequivocal in his criticism of the current water distribution mechanism – a controversial 3-tier formula that systematically disadvantages Sindh by forcing the province to absorb most of the water scarcity. The crisis has reached a critical point with a proposed project that defies agricultural logic and economic sense. Six new canals are planned in Punjab’s Cholistan area, a proposal that farmers argue would render their fertile lands entirely infertile.[4]
The economic implications are catastrophic. Nabi Bux Sathio from the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture presented a calculation that exposes the government’s misguided priorities: the proposed Cholistan canal project would “ruin 12 million acres of agricultural land in Sindh to irrigate just 1.2 million acres of desert.[5]” This is not just poor planning; it is an existential threat to Sindh’s agricultural backbone. The human cost of this crisis is immeasurable.
Farmers have been vocal in their resistance. At a rally organized by the Anti-Canals Action Committee, a coalition of farming organizations including the Sindh Abadgar Board, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture, and Sindh Abadgar Ittehad, protesters emphasized that the proposed canals authorized by the Central Development Working Party threatened the livelihoods of millions in Sindh. The demonstration highlighted the deeper issues of water management and provincial resource allocation. Miran Mohammad Shah urged political leadership, specifically calling on Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to lead the farmers’ protest, drawing parallels to his mother Benazir Bhutto’s historic protest against the Kalabagh Dam in 1998. This generational struggle underscores the long-standing nature of Sindh’s water challenges.
The current water distribution mechanism effectively exempts smaller provinces from water shortages, with the burden falling disproportionately on Sindh. A recent development offers a glimmer of hope. Balochistan, traditionally not aligned with Sindh on water issues, has now joined Sindh in demanding a fair water distribution mechanism. This unprecedented alliance underscores the depth of institutional failures and the urgent need for comprehensive reform.
The technical details are telling. According to Sindh’s irrigation secretary, the province utilized only 3.560 million acre-feet from April 1 to May 20, against an allocated 4.645 million acre-feet – representing a 23% shortage.[6] This data contradicts claims by other provinces and exposes the systematic underdevelopment of Sindh’s water infrastructure. Historical context adds another layer of tragedy to this crisis. Shah points out that during British colonial times, Sindh once had more cultivated land than Punjab. A testament to how current mismanagement has systematically dismantled the province’s agricultural potential. The current trajectory threatens to transform what was once a fertile agricultural heartland into a barren wasteland.
The Pakistani state’s abject failure in governance is a multifaceted tragedy that exposes a systemic collapse of institutional responsibility and democratic accountability. From the water crisis in Sindh to broader national challenges, the government has consistently demonstrated a profound disconnection from the basic needs of its citizens. The water distribution dispute exemplifies this institutional rot – where bureaucratic mechanisms like the Indus River System Authority and the Council of Common Interests have become instruments of provincial marginalization rather than platforms for equitable resource management. Instead of serving the collective national interest, these institutions have devolved into arenas of political negotiation where powerful provinces like Punjab can manipulate water allocations, systematically disadvantaging smaller provinces like Sindh. The state’s governance model appears fundamentally extractive, prioritizing narrow political and economic interests over the fundamental rights and survival of millions of agricultural communities. Decision-making processes are opaque, unresponsive, and seemingly indifferent to the existential challenges faced by ordinary citizens.
The farmers’ protest is more than a regional dispute; it is a fundamental challenge to the government’s priorities. As the lands of Sindh continue to parch and farmers face potential economic ruin, the Pakistani government’s inaction speaks volumes. The crisis demands immediate, comprehensive intervention – not just for Sindh, but for the very sustainability of Pakistan’s agricultural future. Without immediate action, Sindh could experience significant migration within 10 years. The proposed canal projects would “devastate” the province, turning productive agricultural lands into an unproductive desert. The situation is dire. With water flows downstream of the Kotri Barrage reaching zero under normal conditions, and total dissolved solids in water reaching hazardous levels, the very survival of Sindh’s agricultural communities hangs in the balance. The farmers of Sindh are not just fighting for water; they are fighting for survival, for their lands, and for a future that seems to be evaporating before their eyes. To address the water crisis with urgency and compassion should be the priority, or but not witness the systematic destruction of an entire province’s economic and ecological foundation.
Sources:
[1] https://concaveagri.com/prevailing-water-shortages-in-sindh/
[2] http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-06/28/c_137287355.htm
[3] https://tribune.com.pk/story/2305227/the-1991-accord-and-water-management
[4] https://www.dawn.com/news/1874362
[5] https://tribune.com.pk/story/2460888/sindh-farmers-urge-promotion-of-intercropping
[6] https://www.dawn.com/news/1837651#:~:text=Sindh%2C%20however%2C%20maintains%20that%20its,Secretary%20Zarif%20Khero%20told%20Dawn
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