Construction of all dams on Indus opposed.

KARACHI -- Water experts, social activists and politicians during a webinar about the Diamer-Bhasha dam organised by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) on Thursday rejected all dams' construction on the Indus, saying that any further construction of dams there would cause huge damage to the already dying Indus Delta.

PFF chairman Mohammad Ali Shah said that by stopping water from the Indus, the people living there had been pushed to the wall, both socially and economically. 'The water, which brings silt for the growth of fish species, fills up lakes and provides rich soil to the lands, has either been constrained or dried up,' he said.

'Due to the slowdown of freshwater flow into the Indus Delta, various waterways, creeks and lakes have become brackish along with underground water resources. Resultantly, water from wells and ponds is not drinkable anymore for the local population, who are now forced to purchase drinking water,' he said.

'Deltaic communities paid huge price of dams in terms of irreparable damage to their livelihood'

He said that due to the salt level increase, the lands had become barren, too. The once rich fisheries due to the mangrove forests in the area are also jeopardised and the people of the delta are seen migrating on a large scale, he added.

'Despite that, the federal government is constructing the Bhasha dam and other dams that would further jeopardise the life connected with the River Indus,' he said.

Mr Shah said: 'Dam means power, and the one who has water, has power. Recently, Imran Khan's federal government ... has decided to construct Bhasha dam. But due to the construction of previous dams and barrages over the Indus, sea intrusion on about four million acres of land in the delta's three districts, namely, Thatta, Sujawal and Badin, has caused 1.2 million people to migrate from the area while two million people have been affected because there is no discharge of river water downstream Kotri Barrage.

'We think that the construction of the Bhasha dam will further endanger the lives and environment related to the River Indus. Such politically-motivated decisions and policies will prove disastrous for the helpless people of the delta,' he said.

Save rivers

Mr Shah also stressed that instead of controlling rivers, one should understand that they are living things. 'We should provide them the right of free [flow] and learn to live in harmony with nature. Let us work together to save rivers. It is time now that...