Pakistan’s Sindh province is currently facing a serious crisis. People are angry and protesting in the streets. Two people have already died in the violence. Protesters have even burned down a minister’s house. The main reason behind this unrest is the shortage of water.
This problem has been building for some time. Tensions are rising between the provinces of Punjab and Sindh over water sharing. The people in Sindh believe that they are not getting their fair share of water, especially from the Indus River, which is their main source of water.
Why the Indus River is Important
The Indus River begins in Tibet and flows through India and then into Pakistan. It is a lifeline for Pakistan, especially for Sindh province. The people of Sindh depend on this river for drinking water and farming.
However, Pakistan’s Punjab province wants to build canals to take more water from the Indus River. The Punjab government says they want to send this water to desert areas like the Cholistan Desert to stop desertification and grow crops. But this would mean less water for Sindh.
Fear of Water Shortage in Sindh
People in Sindh are worried. If Punjab takes more water from the Indus, there will be very little left for them. Already, many areas in Sindh are facing up to 50% less water supply. Rainfall this year has also been very low, around 52% below normal. This makes the situation even worse.
With no rainfall and less water from the Indus River, Sindh’s people are finding it very hard to get drinking water and to grow food. This is why they are coming out on the streets in protest. In some areas, people have even started using AK-47 guns during these protests.
Political Bias and Unfair Treatment
Many people believe that the central government of Pakistan is controlled mainly by leaders from the Punjab province. These leaders often focus on the development of Punjab and ignore other provinces like Sindh and Balochistan. For example, Balochistan has seen very little development and has its own freedom movement, the Balochistan Liberation Army.
Now, Sindh is facing similar problems. If this continues, there is a possibility that Sindh might even demand independence in the future. The people of Sindh feel betrayed. They believe that their basic rights, like access to water, are being taken away from them.
India’s Role and the Indus Water Treaty
India and Pakistan have an agreement called the Indus Water Treaty, which allows Pakistan to get water from rivers that flow through India. Recently, India announced that this treaty is suspended and that it may reduce the flow of water to Pakistan.
If India cuts some of the water flow and at the same time Punjab in Pakistan builds canals to take more water, then Sindh will suffer the most. There may be a huge water crisis, and millions of people in Sindh could be left without enough water to live.
Water is life. Without water, people cannot survive. The situation in Pakistan’s Sindh province is very serious. The government must act fairly and ensure equal water distribution to all provinces. Taking water from Sindh to benefit Punjab is not just unfair—it is dangerous. If not resolved soon, this issue could lead to more violence, more protests, and even a breakup of the country.
Sindh’s people are not asking for anything extra. They just want their fair share of water—the water that comes from the river that flows through their land.
References:
Revolt in Pakistan’s Sindh: Highway blocked, minister’s house torched, two dead as protest over Indus canal project spirals out of control