The Green Pakistan Initiative: A Green
Desert at the Cost of a Dying Delta.
By: Mujtaba Zardari.
This initiative has been taken under the leadership of Pakistan’s Army Chief,
General Asim Munir, under the banner of the “Green Pakistan Initiative,” aimed
at making Pakistan greener and economically stable. However, it is important to
understand that this is not just a “Green Pakistan” initiative it is also a “Green
Punjab” initiative, which could prove dangerous and even destructive for Punjab.
These six canals are being constructed to cultivate and irrigate the Cholistan
Desert, also known as the Rohi Desert, which is located in South Punjab. This
project, worth Rs. 211 billion, aims to make the desert arable and irrigable. But
how can this be harmful to Punjab, and how might it devastate Sindh?
Currently, various movements are active in Sindh in response to this project. The
Indus River is not merely a water source; it represents Sindh’s culture and history.
Many civilizations were born and flourished around the river, particularly those
settled along the banks of the Indus. These movements include students, lawyers,
teachers, civil society groups, nationalist parties, religious groups, and various
political organizations, all raising their voices against this initiative.
This project could prove dangerous for Sindh’s coastal regions Thatta, Badin,
Karachi by exacerbating the ongoing water crisis. Let’s analyze this through the
lens of the 1991 Water Accord and see how much water Sindh is actually losing.
The Indus River System (IRS):
The Indus River originates from the Tibetan Plateau, flows through the disputed
region of Kashmir, enters Gilgit-Baltistan, and then flows into Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Punjab, and finally Sindh, where it forms the Indus Delta
near Thatta before draining into the Arabian Sea.
This is Pakistan’s main river. It receives tributaries from both the eastern and
western sides. From the east, major rivers such as Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, and
Sutlej join it. From the west, smaller rivers such as Kabul, Kurram, Gomal, and
This article draws from a range of reports including the 1991 Water Accord, IUCN
publications, IPCC assessments, and grassroots activist documentation. All names and
figures are cited for public awareness and policy reflection.
Zhob from KPK merge into it. However, most of the water comes from the eastern
side, which is why it is called the Indus River System (IRS).
The Water Apportionment Accord (WAA) of 1991
The WAA was forcefully implemented but never fully enforced, which is why
Sindh still does not receive its rightful share of water. Reports from various
organizations that water shortages have often been observed in Dadu, Larkana,
and Qambar Shahdadkot, where people struggle to grow crops or even access
drinking water.
Sindh’s already threatened 12 million-acre feet (MAF) of fertile land is now at
greater risk, as the government plans to divert water into new canals. According
to IUCN reports and the 1991 Accord, a minimum of 10 MAF of water must be
released into the sea to prevent sea intrusion. Unfortunately, only 2 to 5 MAF is
typically released. During the floods of 2010 and 2022, more than 10 MAF was
released into the Indus Delta.
The WAA was signed on 16th March 1991 and approved by the Council of
Common Interest (CCI) on 21st March 1991.
The WAA was signed to distribute 114.35 MAF of the Indus River System
(IRS).
S no. Province Distribution. %age
1. Punjab 55.94 MAF 47.7%
2. Sindh 48.76 MAF 41.5%
3. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 5.78 MAF 7.5%
4. Balochistan 3.87 MAF 3.3%
10 MAF to be released below Kotri Barrage to check sea intrusion.
The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) was established in 1991.
Other reports on water distribution:
According to the different reports of Pakistan Council of Research in Water
Resources (PCRWR), Indus River System Authority (IRSA) and International
Council for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), that Sindh has been facing 15% to
45% water shortage since 1991.
This article draws from a range of reports including the 1991 Water Accord, IUCN
publications, IPCC assessments, and grassroots activist documentation. All names and
figures are cited for public awareness and policy reflection.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),
fresh water flow at least 27 MAF is required to check sea intrusion and to
protect mangroves ecosystem in a delta.
Due to insufficient freshwater flow, Sindh’s coastal regions Thatta, Badin,
Karachi, and possibly even Hyderabad are at risk of destruction from sea
intrusion. The delta is not receiving enough water, leading to the degradation of
mangrove forests that act as natural barriers against sea intrusion. As a result,
groundwater levels in Sindh are both depleting and becoming saline.
This entire discussion so far focuses only on crops and agricultural lands. When
it comes to drinking water, even Karachi the economic and financial hub of
Pakistan is facing a severe crisis, where water trucks cost between Rs. 3,000 to
5,000 due to the water monopoly.
Wider Crisis: Climate Change
Not only is Sindh facing a water shortage, but Punjab is also experiencing a water
crisis, largely due to climate change. According to German reports and the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s 6th Assessment Report,
three regions are the most vulnerable to climate change:
1. South Asia (including Pakistan and India),
2. Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia), and
3. The Caribbean (Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti).
Unfortunately, Pakistan has taken no meaningful precautions so far. Tree
plantation drives are either not conducted properly or the planted trees are not
maintained and die before they mature.
Germanwatch Report:
Pakistan 5th most vulnerable country to climate change.
This article draws from a range of reports including the 1991 Water Accord, IUCN
publications, IPCC assessments, and grassroots activist documentation. All names and
figures are cited for public awareness and policy reflection.
Pakistan has lost 9,989 lives and has suffered economic losses worth $3.8
billion from 1998 to 2018.
The Global Climate Risk Index has placed Pakistan on the fifth spot on the
list of the countries most vulnerable to climate change in it’s annual report
for 2020, which was released by the think-tank Germanwatch.
Indus Water Treaty (IWT) & India-Pakistan Water
Conflict
India is now violating the Indus Water Treaty by building dams on various rivers,
which is triggering a water war between India and Pakistan. As a result, the Ravi
River is almost destroyed, and India is also constructing dams on the Chenab
River (Baglihar dam, Ratle dam) and Jhelum Rivers (Kishanganga dam), and on
the Ravi river (Shahpur Kandi Barrage). Indian Prime Minister Modi is taking
aggressive steps that are directly affecting Pakistan, especially Punjab, which,
despite receiving the most water among provinces, is still facing shortages due to
these upstream constructions.
The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was signed on 19th September 1960 by
Pakistan and India.
The treaty was brokered by the World Bank.
The Eastern river (Ravi, Sutlej, Beas) were given to India.
Three Western river (Indus, Chenab, Jhelum) were given to Pakistan.
The New Crisis: The Green Initiative & Six Canals
Pakistan now faces a new challenge: the construction of six canals under the so-
called "Green Initiative," which include:
1. Cholistan Canal
2. Greater Thal Canal
3. Kachhi Canal
4. Rainee Canal
5. Thar Canal
6. Chashma Right Bank Canal
This article draws from a range of reports including the 1991 Water Accord, IUCN
publications, IPCC assessments, and grassroots activist documentation. All names and
figures are cited for public awareness and policy reflection.
These canals will draw water from the Indus River, but the biggest issue lies with
the Cholistan Canal. Punjab already has three large barrages:
Jinnah Barrage in Mianwali
Chashma Barrage
Taunsa Barrage
Water from the Chashma Barrage is diverted through the Chashma-Jhelum Link
Canal, and similarly, the Taunsa Barrage feeds the Taunsa-Punjnad Link Canal.
These two canals will be linked and diverted toward the Cholistan Desert for
irrigation. This is problematic because the purpose of these link canals was never
to irrigate Cholistan. Doing so could lead to the destruction of areas like Rajanpur
and Dera Ghazi Khan. Punjab is already facing a water crisis, worsened by India’s
upstream dams. Diverting more water to Cholistan could further reduce Sindh’s
already compromised water share. Punjab claims it is using its own share of water
for the project. However, as noted earlier, Punjab is already under pressure.
Diverting water to the Cholistan Desert means 1.2 MAF acres of desert will be
cultivated, but at the cost of converting Sindh’s 12 MAF fertile acres often
referred to as “Paradise” or “Bāb-e-Jannat” into desert. That is why the entire
Sindh province is protesting. This project is not only damaging for Sindh but also
for Punjab, as it deepens the water crisis, worsens climate change, and destroys
the Indus Delta. In summary, this so-called “Green Initiative” is making deserts
green while turning green lands into deserts.
This article draws from a range of reports including the 1991 Water Accord, IUCN
publications, IPCC assessments, and grassroots activist documentation. All names and
figures are cited for public awareness and policy reflection.
