Author: Bibi Ayesha Ghumro
A River of Time
Sindhu” which is called Indus River worldwide. A name that whispers tales of ancient civilizations. You can call it lifeline, source of sustenance, and a witness of ebb and flow of history in this land we call Sindh, Pakistan. But today, while I stand by the shores of this magnificent river, I cannot help but experience a feeling of unease, an increasing worry regarding the future of this vital artery that flows through our country’s core.
The river represents more than merely a body of water; it serves as a reservoir of our shared history, a quiet witness to our successes and struggles. From the Indus Valley civilization, recognized as one of the earliest urban societies globally, to the numerous empires that came afterward, the river has supplied the water, the fertile land, and the trade pathways that spurred development and wealth. Its waters have satisfied the thirst of innumerable generations, nurtured the crops that sustained them, and enabled the sharing of ideas and goods that influenced their cultures.
The Glorious Past Cradle of Civilization
The Indus River was the heart of a civilization competing with the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia and Egypt, as 3300 BCE. Cities such as Harappa and Mohenjo Daro claimed, influential urban planning, drainage systems and public baths that would not be out of place in today’s modern world. The people of the Indus valley lived with a sophistication talking about nature and their relationship with the river that maintained them.
Indus was not just a waterway, it was life in an old economy, which gave the convenience of trade between distant land. The water brought fertility to the fields so that civilization could grow wheat, barley and cotton, which formed the basis for a prosperous agricultural society. Even the rivers in the ancient world dried up, Indus continued to flow, provide maintenance and give shape to the entire life of life. The trading network expanded to Mesopotamia, where the harness was discovered from Indus, and pointed into a world where the borders were not added by land geography, but by the river.
If the Indus could remember, it would speak of cities with planned streets and houses of brick, of people who lived with an understanding of their environment that seems all but lost today. It would tell of a civilization whose advances in hygiene and infrastructure were the envy of the ancient world. Those who lived beside its waters must have thought the river would flow forever, as it had done for centuries before them. However, as the tides of time shift, so too does the fate of the river that nurtured them. (Duniya News, 2025)
Flowing Tensions
A recent conflict has been brewing between Punjab and Sindh over the Indus River water. The dispute centers around Punjab’s plan to construct new canals in the Cholistan desert, drawing water from the Indus River system, which Sindh fears will worsen its existing water scarcity. The project, part of the Green Pakistan Initiative, aims to transform the arid Cholistan region into fertile agricultural land. However, Sindh argues that diverting water upstream will reduce the flow downstream, violating the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord, which allocates specific water shares to each province. Sindh claims that reduced water flow downstream is causing seawater intrusion in the Indus Delta, degrading fertile lands and affecting local communities’ livelihoods. Punjab maintains that the canals will utilize its allocated water share, but Sindh’s concerns remain unaddressed, fueling tensions between the two provinces.
On the other hand tensions between Pakistan and India over the Indus River have escalated recently, with India unilaterally suspending a decades-old water-sharing agreement. The conflict began after a militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, which India blamed on Pakistan. Pakistan denied involvement, and the situation worsened with cross-border fire and strikes. India threatened to stop water flow from the Indus River, vital to Pakistan’s food security, prompting Pakistan’s military to warn of “decades-long consequences” if India follows through on its threat. A US-brokered ceasefire took effect on May 10, but tensions remain high, with both countries accusing each other of violating the ceasefire. The dispute highlights the fragility of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, which has withstood multiple wars but faces challenges due to climate change, water scarcity, and geopolitical tensions. (The Economics Time, 2025)
A River in Trouble
However, the river that once gave life now faces an uncertain future. The pressures of overpopulation, water mismanagement, and political tensions have left the Indus gasping for breath. The refusal of modern industry and urbanization now pollute the clear waters that once supported vast farmlands. Industrial waste, sewage, and plastic have tainted the once-pristine waters, making them undrinkable for millions who rely on them for daily sustenance. (Tanveer Ahmed, Tribune, 2025)
In the name of progress, we have built dams and diverted the river’s flow. The 1960 Indus Water Treaty, signed between India and Pakistan, was meant to settle water-sharing disputes between the two nations. However, despite this historic agreement, tensions continue to simmer, and the river suffers from competing claims for its dwindling waters. Irrigation practices have drained the river, reducing its once-abundant waters to a trickle. In the areas where the river once flowed freely, farmers now rely on irrigation systems that waste more water than they use, exacerbating the crisis.
The river is not just thirsty; it is choked with neglect. The once fertile banks are now littered with the remnants of industrial waste, and the river’s lifeblood is poisoned by pollutants that render it dangerous to touch, let alone drink. However, in our pursuit of development, we fail to ask the crucial question: What are we damming up—just the river’s flow or our future? In our shortsightedness, we have forgotten that the Indus is not an infinite resource but a fragile and finite gift that requires our stewardship.
Between Hope and Despair
As the glacier fed waters of the Indus begin to recede the rivers future grows ever more uncertain. The Himalayas which feed the Indus with glacial melt are warming rapidly due to climate change. The glaciers that once provided a steady water source are disappearing at an alarming rate and the implications for the river are grave. In the coming decades water shortages will intensify threatening agriculture drinking supplies, and livelihoods across the region. (Fazul Haq, The Conversation, 2025)
However even as the threat of environmental degradation looms large there is still hope. Conservation efforts are underway albeit too slowly. In theory sustainable irrigation practices water conservation campaigns and more efficient management of the river’s resources could reverse some of the damage done. However such efforts require regional cooperation and a recognition of Indus’s role in the lives of every person who depends on it. If the Indus is to survive it must be treated not as a commodity to be exploited but as a living breathing entity to be protected. (The Conversation, 2025)
Regional instability only compounds the challenges. Political strife between India and Pakistan over water rights continues to fester with both countries facing mounting pressure to meet the needs of their growing populations. Water scarcity could fuel future conflicts but it could also serve as a unifying force if we consider the river a shared resource that transcends borders.
Hope floats but only if we stop throwing plastic bottles and policies into its current form. The Indus is not just the lifeblood of one nation but a regions lifeblood. To restore it we must look beyond political divisions and consider the long-term consequences of our actions.
A Wake Up Call
The Indus nonetheless flows but its destiny is a long way from positive. The river that when sustained empires now struggles to preserve lifestyles. Its waters are full of pollutants, its flow diverted by way of dams, and its glaciers soften away. However even on this disaster the Indus contains a message it is not too overdue to behave.
If we do not heed the river’s name its story turns into a cautionary tale for Pakistan India and the entire international. We are the stewards of this treasured aid and our alternatives today will decide whether destiny generations will recognize the Indus as a robust river or as a dwindled reminiscence inside the records books.
The river continues to be right here however we have to ask ourselves: How long will it preserve to float? The Indus is speaking but are we listening? If we do no longer act now we may locate that sooner or later the most effective sound left might be the whispers of a river that no longer runs.
What’s clear is that the Indus River is more than just a water source, it’s a symbol of life, sustenance, and shared history. Finding a solution to these conflicts requires empathy, understanding, and a willingness to work together. By prioritizing dialogue and cooperation, Pakistan and India, as well as Punjab and Sindh, can find a way forward that benefits everyone involved. After all, the Indus River’s fate is intricately tied to the fate of the people who call its basin home.
