Save the Wetlands of Sindh

nasiraijaz February 15, 2026

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Protecting wetlands is not just about saving birds or scenic landscapes; it is about safeguarding Pakistan’s ecological security and the well-being of future generations

Ali Nawaz Rahimoo

Wetlands are among the most productive yet most threatened ecosystems on Earth. They act as natural buffers against floods, purify water, support fisheries, sustain wildlife, and provide livelihoods to millions of people. Despite their immense ecological and economic value, wetlands continue to be drained, polluted, and neglected. In Pakistan, where water insecurity and climate vulnerability are growing rapidly, saving wetlands is no longer an environmental luxury but a national necessity.

Pakistan is home to 19 internationally recognized wetlands, known as Ramsar Sites, designated under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. These sites include globally important ecosystems such as the Indus Delta, Haleji Lake, Keenjhar Lake, Manchar Lake, Uchhali Wetland Complex, Taunsa Barrage, Chashma Barrage, Jubho Lagoon, Thanedar Wala, and Tanda Dam, among others. Spread across different provinces, these wetlands play a crucial role in water regulation, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, and the survival of migratory bird species that travel thousands of kilometers each year.

The international framework guiding wetland conservation is the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, adopted in 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar. It is the world’s oldest global environmental treaty, focusing on the “wise use” of wetlands through conservation and sustainable management. Pakistan became a contracting party to the Convention in 1976, committing itself to protect its listed wetlands and ensure their ecological character is maintained. However, designation alone does not guarantee protection. Many Ramsar sites in Pakistan are under severe stress due to weak governance, inadequate funding, and competing development pressures.

The importance of wetlands is globally recognized each year on World Wetlands Day, observed on 2 February. The day commemorates the signing of the Ramsar Convention on 2 February 1971 and has been celebrated worldwide since 1997. Every year, a specific theme such as wetlands and biodiversity or wetlands and climate change highlights the growing relevance of these ecosystems in addressing global environmental challenges. For Pakistan, World Wetlands Day should serve not only as a symbolic occasion but also as a reminder of unmet conservation commitments.

Wetlands are officially identified and declared by national governments. For international recognition, governments nominate sites to the Ramsar Secretariat, which then lists them under the Convention. In Pakistan, the responsibility for declaring and managing wetlands lies primarily with the federal government for international coordination, while provincial wildlife and environment departments play the leading role in on-ground protection and management. This division of responsibility often leads to gaps in enforcement, particularly where wetlands fall between administrative boundaries or lack clear management plans.

Protecting wetlands is a shared responsibility. Governments alone cannot safeguard these ecosystems without the involvement of local communities, civil society organizations, researchers, and academic institutions. Communities living around wetlands are often the first to experience both the benefits and the consequences of wetland degradation. When wetlands dry up or become polluted, fisheries collapse, grazing lands disappear, and water quality deteriorates. Involving local stakeholders in conservation planning is therefore essential for long-term success.

From an environmental perspective, wetlands are biodiversity hotspots. They provide breeding and feeding grounds for fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and millions of migratory birds along the Central Asian Flyway. Species such as pelicans, flamingos, ducks, and geese depend on Pakistan’s wetlands during their annual migrations. Wetlands also function as natural water filters, trapping pollutants and improving water quality for downstream users. They reduce flooding by absorbing excess rainfall and river overflow, recharge groundwater aquifers, and store significant amounts of carbon, making them vital allies in combating climate change.

Despite these benefits, wetlands in Pakistan face multiple threats. Pollution from untreated industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and sewage is degrading water quality in lakes and coastal wetlands. Water diversion, dams, and excessive extraction upstream are reducing inflows to rivers, lakes, and deltas, most notably in the Indus Delta, where mangroves are shrinking and seawater intrusion is increasing. Climate change is intensifying droughts, floods, and temperature extremes, further destabilizing fragile wetland ecosystems. Overfishing, illegal hunting, and unplanned urban expansion add to the pressure. When wildlife populations decline, it is often a warning sign that the entire wetland ecosystem is approaching collapse.

Wetlands are among the most valuable ecosystems on Earth, sustaining biodiversity, supporting human livelihoods, and providing essential ecological services. Highly interconnected and rich in life, they link mountains to oceans, cross political boundaries, connect diverse habitats, and enable the movement of species. Their health is fundamental to the planet’s ecological balance and human survival.

Water is the defining feature of wetlands, shaping their physical environment and the plant and animal communities they sustain. Globally, wetlands cover more than 12.1 million square kilometres and exist in many forms freshwater or saltwater, inland or coastal, natural or human-made, permanent or seasonal, and flowing or static. Despite this diversity, wetlands occupy only about six per cent of the Earth’s land surface, underscoring both their rarity and their importance.

Freshwater wetlands include rivers, lakes, floodplains, peatlands, marshes, and swamps, while saltwater wetlands consist of estuaries, mudflats, salt marshes, mangroves, lagoons, coral reefs, and shellfish reefs. Human-made wetlands, such as fishponds, rice paddies, reservoirs, and salt pans, also play a critical role in food security and water management. Collectively, wetlands provide services such as water purification, flood control, climate regulation, and habitat for countless species, making their protection a global priority.

Wetland conservation must be integrated into national climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies. Protecting and restoring these ecosystems strengthens resilience against floods, droughts, and climate extremes, while ensuring long-term benefits for society. Safeguarding wetlands is therefore essential for environmental sustainability and a more resilient future.

Pakistan became a contracting party to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands on November 23, 1976. The country has over 225 significant wetlands, of which 19 both freshwater and marine are designated as Ramsar Sites. Nine of these are located in Sindh, including Deh Akro-II, Nareri Lagoon, Jubho Lagoon, Rann of Kutch, the Indus Delta, the Indus Dolphin Reserve, Drigh Lake, Haleji Lake, and Keenjhar Lake. Hub Dam, located on the Sindh Balochistan border, is also a Ramsar Site and a key source of drinking water for Karachi. Despite their international status, many of these wetlands lack scientifically informed management.

Consequently, Pakistan’s wetlands are increasingly threatened by overexploitation, habitat degradation, and growing pressure on species and water resources. Weak institutional coordination, limited technical capacity, insufficient funding, and low public awareness have further undermined conservation efforts, particularly in Sindh.

A major challenge is the absence of a comprehensive legal and institutional framework for wetland management. Many wetlands lack formal legal recognition, and no single authority has been clearly mandated to manage them at the ecosystem level. Without clear leadership, coordinated governance, and ecosystem-based legislation, wetland conservation efforts will remain fragmented. Addressing these gaps is essential to halt degradation and protect Pakistan’s wetlands for future generations.

Saving wetlands requires moving beyond declarations and awareness days toward concrete action. Stronger enforcement of environmental laws, integrated water resource management, restoration of degraded wetlands, and meaningful community participation are critical. As Pakistan confronts water scarcity, food insecurity, and climate-induced disasters, wetlands offer natural solutions that no engineered infrastructure can fully replace.

Protecting wetlands is not just about saving birds or scenic landscapes; it is about safeguarding Pakistan’s ecological security and the well-being of future generations. The choice is clear: neglect these lifelines and face escalating environmental crises, or act decisively now to save the wetlands for nature, for people, and for the country’s sustainable future.