KARACHI: WWF-Pakistan on Wednesday voiced serious concerns over the Cholistan Canals project, emphasising the need for comprehensive socio-environmental impact assessments before undertaking large-scale irrigation initiatives.
The organisation warns that upstream water diversions could accelerate saltwater intrusion in the Indus Delta, increase soil salinity, render fertile land barren, and displace small-scale farmers and fishing communities.
The Cholistan Canals project, part of the Green Pakistan Initiative, aims to irrigate 4.8 million acres (1.9 million hectares) of barren land by constructing six canals— two each in Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab. Five of these canals will draw water from the Indus River, while the sixth will be built along the Sutlej River to provide 4,120 cusecs of water to the Cholistan Desert.
WWF-Pakistan Director General Hammad Naqi Khan stressed the importance of improving water governance and agricultural efficiency rather than pursuing expensive infrastructure projects. “Pakistan must adopt a strategic, science-based approach to water and land management,” he stated. He called for a shift from traditional irrigation systems to nature-based solutions, climate-resilient practices, and innovative water management techniques. The organization also urged a feasibility study to explore climate-smart, water-efficient alternatives.
While the project seeks to promote corporate farming in desert regions, WWF-Pakistan highlighted its potential risks, including the depletion of water resources in already fertile areas. It warned that increased upstream diversions would harm the Indus Delta, leading to seawater intrusion, ecosystem degradation, and loss of mangrove forests, which serve as natural coastal defences and breeding grounds for marine life. The resulting environmental changes could accelerate coastal erosion and increase communities’ vulnerability to storms and natural disasters.
Climate change further complicates the project’s viability, as glacial melt and monsoons— critical sources of Indus River water—are becoming increasingly erratic. WWF-Pakistan emphasized the need for a sustainability reassessment of the project, particularly given its dependence on unpredictable flood flows.
The organisation called for detailed studies involving experts in agronomy, hydrology, environmental science, and economics to assess soil suitability, groundwater impact, ecosystem effects, and the feasibility of alternative solutions. Given the inter-provincial nature of water distribution and the project’s legal, technical, and socioeconomic complexities, WWF-Pakistan stressed the importance of national consensus. It criticized the exclusion of the Pakistan Climate Change Council and Punjab Water Commission from discussions on the project.
WWF-Pakistan recommended strengthening regulatory and policy oversight, asserting that large-scale projects like the Cholistan Canals should be reviewed and approved by the Council of Common Interests (CCI). The organization reiterated that prioritizing conservation, efficiency, and climate resilience is essential to ensuring Pakistan’s long-term water security and agricultural sustainability.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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