It was a warm and humid evening in August when Rasadullah, an aging fisherman, dragged his weather-beaten net across the muddy shoreline. The sea breeze that once promised abundance now carries only silence and devastation. He has been trying to catch fish since dawn, but his nets were still empty. This has been happening for years; he merely catches a few fish that his family eats at night. There’s no more hope for his profession, and he was nearly giving up…
Rasadullah lives with his family in Mubarak Goth in Kimari Town, Karachi. Mubarak Goth is a fishing village once famous for the abundance of fish and was an appealing tourist spot; is now losing its spark, yes, due to profound climate change.
The Delta of the River Indus was once the sixth largest delta in the world, stretching nearly 400 kilometers from Karachi to the Rann of Kutch and covering an area of approximately 600,000 hectares. It was a region of immense ecological, environmental, and economic significance, supporting a wide range of biodiversity, fisheries, mangrove forests, and a long list of agricultural activities.
However, in recent decades, the Indus Delta has been facing severe degradation due to a continuous decline in river water flow caused by reduced freshwater discharge, construction of barrages and dams, over-extraction of water for irrigation purposes, and climate change impacts. As a result, the mangrove ecosystems are shrinking, soil salinity is increasing gradually, and fisheries, which were once the primary source of livelihood for thousands of local communities, are now under serious threat.
The consequent loss of freshwater inflow has also allowed seawater intrusion deep into the deltaic region, rendering vast stretches of land uncultivable and displacing many local populations. Consequently, the economic activities depending on the healthy functioning of the delta, like fishing, farming, and small-scale cottage industries, are being extensively destroyed, leading to growing unemployment and poverty among the inhabitants.
The experts warned that if immediate and sustainable water management measures are not implemented, the Indus Delta, once a thriving ecological hub, will further increase the risk of irreversible environmental damage and the collapse of its socio-economic fabric. 2
Ali Anjum of the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) noted, while talking to Dawn, that “The consequences of these changes are stark. The Indus delta has shrunk by over 90 per cent in recent decades, millions of acres of fertile land have been lost to seawater intrusion, and groundwater salinity has rendered much of the region’s water undrinkable and unfit for irrigation, leading to a continued human tragedy,” he shared.
Mentioning the land losses in three talukas — Keti Bandar, Khharo Chhan, and Shah Bandar — Anjum said that so far 263,272 hectares had turned barren.
Agriculture losses are around 4.2 million PKR, while fishery and forestry losses stand at 3.5 million and Rs 145 million, respectively. If this trend continues for the next 25 years, we shall bear 4 billion PKR in losses,” he said, adding that a WWF study revealed that 1.5 inches of mangrove land was being eroded daily.
Anjum also raised concern over coastal pollution, stating that 450 million gallons daily (MGD) of untreated wastewater from more than 6,000 industrial units was being dumped into mangrove habitats, leading to growth retention and degradation of the marine ecosystem.
Once, these waters of the Delta teemed with a variety of fish such as Hilsa, shrimp, and mullet, feeding generations and sustaining villages. Today, the fish are vanishing, mangroves are thinning, and the sea is creeping further inland. “The sea has changed its mood, from silence to fierce,” Rasadullah says, pointing to a barren stretch where mangroves once stood tall, shielding his community from storms.
Seawater intrusion into the delta, where the Indus River meets the Arabian Sea in the south of the country, has triggered the collapse of farming and fishing communities.
“The saline water has surrounded us from all four sides,” said Khatti from Abdullah Mirbahar village in the town of Kharo Chan, about 15km (9 miles) from where the river empties into the sea.1
“Our destruction began when dams were built on the Indus, blocking its natural flow. The Indus’ final destination is the sea, and according to both natural and international law, the people living at the end of the river, particularly the people of the delta, have the first right to its waters. The river’s water is crucial for the ecology of the sea and the mangrove forests.”
The waters of the Indus are strong and push the seawater away, leaving behind fertile soil that builds the land. They reduce the acidity of the sea and keep the sea’s temperature normal. Now, due to the absence of the river’s water, coastal erosion has swallowed up almost 4.2 million acres of land.
In Pakistan, particularly in Sindh, the effects of climate change are the most severe on the coastal belt. Due to global climate change, not only has coastal erosion increased, but sea levels have also risen. The sea, which would return to its normal position in mid-August, now brings towering waves and high winds throughout September and October.
We now only have two seasons (summer and winter), with a shorter winter and a longer summer. The fishing season, which previously lasted from August to November, has shrunk, as by the time the sea settles, the season is over. Rains are either scarce or excessive and untimely.5
The change is not just in the tides but in the very lifeline of the delta. Reduced freshwater flows below the Kotri Barrage, rising sea levels, and climate change have disrupted the delta’s balance. Without enough river water and sediment to push back, the sea intrudes, turning once-fertile creeks into salty wastelands. Mangrove forests, the natural guardians of Karachi’s coast, are disappearing, leaving fishing grounds barren and shorelines exposed to erosion.
For Mubarak Goth, a coastal settlement that still draws tourists for its rocky beaches, the crisis is deeply personal. Fishing families here report dwindling catches, harsher seas, and younger generations abandoning the coast for uncertain lives inland. The community has no jetty, no protective infrastructure; only the stubborn resilience of its people.
Scientists warned long ago that the Indus Delta is drying and sinking. The river that once poured life into 17 major creeks now trickles weakly to the sea. Pakistan’s most productive fishing grounds are collapsing, threatening both local livelihoods and national food security.
He blamed the severe degradation of the delta on the upstream diversions of the river. “It is one of the worst examples of human interventions in nature.” 6
Still, Rasadullah refuses to leave his place, saying, “This water carries the memory of my ancestors. We have our roots here”, then he started casting his net once more. Each throw is not just an attempt to feed his family; it is an act of protest, a hope and a prayer, a reminder of what is at stake: a culture, a community, and an ecological treasure that once fed the nation.
References:
- https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2025/8/5/water-has-surrounded-us-the-slow-death-of-pakistans-indus-delta
- https://voicepk.net/2025/04/indus-delta-from-sixth-largest-to-a-slowly-dying-land/
- Image 1 https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/untitled-design-491754395296-0/untitled-design-491754395296-0.jpg
- Image 2 https://share.google/images/oyP9QF6ev8chDLbbj
- https://aurora.dawn.com/news/1145380/the-vanishing-paradise-of-the-indus-delta
- https://www.dawn.com/news/1554715
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Muniba Usman is a high school teacher and teaching trainer by profession. She has a BS (HONS) in Microbiology and a diploma in Textile and Fashion design. She has a strong passion for research, arts, reading and writing. She has written many scientific articles and fiction stories for children.
