{"id":33791,"date":"2026-06-20T07:11:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T07:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=33791"},"modified":"2026-06-20T07:11:06","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T07:11:06","slug":"pakistan-iwt-violations-put-the-mahseer-population-and-livelihoods-at-risk-in-khyber-pakhtunkhwa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/?p=33791","title":{"rendered":"Pakistan: IWT violations put the Mahseer population and livelihoods at risk in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Fakhar-e-Alam PESHAWAR, Jun 18 (APP):As the morning sun casts a golden glow over the banks of the River Sindh in Kohat district, 65-year-old fish farmer Iqbal Khan begins another day tending to the ponds that have sustained his family for decades. Driving his loader rickshaw along the edge of his 10-kanal fish farm near Khushal Garh, Iqbal scatters feed into the water where thousands of fish surface in rippling \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By Fakhar-e-Alam<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the morning sun casts a golden glow over the banks of the River Sindh in Kohat district, 65-year-old fish farmer Iqbal Khan begins another day tending to the ponds that have sustained his family for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Driving his loader rickshaw along the edge of his 10-kanal fish farm near Khushal Garh, Iqbal scatters feed into the water where thousands of fish surface in rippling waves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, beneath the routine lies a growing uncertainty among fishermen amid the Indus Water Treaty\u2019s violations by India that put aquatic resources under heightened danger in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iqbal\u2019s concern is not about market prices or disease outbreaks, but about the future flow of water itself in the wake of IWT violations by fascist Modi Govt in April last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many fish farmers across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Iqbal fears that India\u2019s continued suspension of the historic 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) could threaten freshwater ecosystems and the livelihoods of thousands of families dependent on fisheries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery day I look at this river and wonder what the future holds,\u201d he told APP. \u201cOur fish, our farms and our income all depend on steady river flows. Without water, there is no fisheries sector to survive, especially prized Masher and Trout.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For generations, the waters of the River Sindh and River Kabul have supported native fish species, including the prized Mahseer\u2014often referred to as the \u201cking of freshwater fish\u201d due to its size, strength and ecological importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMahseer farming depends on clean, flowing water,\u201d he explained. \u201cIf river flows become irregular or polluted, fish populations will decline rapidly. It is not only about fish, but it is about the survival of thousands of families connected to this trade.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts warned that Mahseer, already facing challenges from water pollution and habitat degradation, could become one of the first casualties of prolonged disruptions to river ecosystems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former director general fisheries department, Ayaz Khattak, said that freshwater species such as Mahseer and trout are particularly vulnerable to changes in water availability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese species are highly sensitive to alterations in river flow,\u201d he said. \u201cMahseer cannot survive in polluted or severely disrupted aquatic environments. Their breeding cycles depend on natural seasonal water patterns.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Ayaz Khattak, reduced flows in western rivers could damage breeding grounds, interrupt migration routes and threaten aquatic biodiversity across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf water availability becomes uncertain, how will these prized fish survive?\u201d he asked. \u201cA river is a living system. When you disrupt one part of it, the entire ecological chain is badly affected.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concern extends beyond Mahseer among fishermen of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Species such as Rohu, Thaila, Silver Carp and Brown Trout could also face increased risks if river conditions deteriorate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cold-water fish, including trout inhabiting rivers and streams in northern Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, require stable temperatures and consistent water flows to reproduce successfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA sudden reduction or fluctuation in water can destroy spawning grounds and threaten entire fish populations,\u201d Khattak warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For fishing communities, environmental concerns quickly translate into economic hardship in KP, where the fast melting of glaciers due to climate change may create floods during the monsoon if IWT violations continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, thousands of fishermen, fish farmers, traders, transporters and vendors depend on freshwater fisheries for their livelihoods, demanding world bank to force RSS backed Modi Govt to reverse its decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In KP, demand for fish rises significantly during wedding seasons, religious festivals and family gatherings and demands are fulfilled through native species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWater is not merely an economic resource,\u201d Ayaz Khattak emphasized. \u201cIt is directly linked to food production, nutrition and livelihoods. Any disturbance to river ecosystems has consequences far beyond fisheries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Official estimates indicated an annual fish production of approximately 790,000 tons, including 510,000 tons from marine fisheries and nearly 280,000 tons from inland fisheries and aquaculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sector contributes around 0.31 percent to Pakistan\u2019s GDP and provides direct and indirect employment to nearly one million people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany people only see fish on their dining tables,\u201d said Iqbal Khan, who has been associated with fish farming for the last 25 years. \u201cThey do not realize how many families work behind the scenes from hatcheries and farms to transport and markets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts cautioned that declining fish populations could also create wider food security challenges in KP amid rapid population growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fish remains one of the most affordable sources of animal protein for many households, particularly in rural areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe decline of native fish species would not only affect fishermen,\u201d Iqbal said. \u201cIt would make nutritious food less accessible for ordinary families, resulting in stunting in children and mothers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Khattak reiterated that Pakistan exports fish and seafood products to several international markets, including China, Thailand, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea and Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFreshwater species such as Mahseer and trout have considerable economic value,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are appreciated for their taste and quality. Any reduction in production could affect both domestic markets and export opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political analysts believed that the issue extends beyond water-sharing arrangements and has broader implications for economic stability and food security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professor Dr. Z.A. Hilali, former Chairman of the Political Science Department at the University of Peshawar, described water security as fundamental to human survival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSafeguarding the Indus Water Treaty is not simply a diplomatic concern,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is linked to food security, livelihoods and the future well-being of millions of Pakistanis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Hilali maintained that nearly 80 percent of Pakistan\u2019s agriculture depends on the Indus Basin irrigation system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAny uncertainty regarding water flows affects crops, livestock, fisheries and ultimately the entire economy,\u201d he said. \u201cRural communities are often the first to feel the impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He argued that disruptions to river systems could increase pressure on already vulnerable populations struggling with rising production costs and climate-related challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Hilali said that India has lost all justifications after the International Courts of Arbitration ruling in favour of IWT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that water should not be used as a weapon and India must adhere to the international treaties, otherwise it will set a wrong precedent as tomorrow China can also block India’s water being an upper riparian country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said that water should not be used as a weapon, and India must adhere to the international<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 tre<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Environmental experts warned that water scarcity is only one part of the problem in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where water pollution in sections of the River Kabul, particularly near Peshawar, Charsadda and Nowshera, is already placing stress on freshwater fish habitats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMahseer populations have been declining due to multiple pressures, especially the throwing of solid waste in rivers,\u201d Khattak observed. \u201cWater pollution, habitat loss and changing environmental conditions are already affecting fish stocks. Additional stress from water disruptions could worsen the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also expressed concern about other aquatic species, including the endangered Indus River dolphin in Sindh and Punjab, whose habitat depends on healthy river ecosystems of the Chanab, Sindh and Jehlum rivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDisrupt one river and you destabilize an entire ecological network,\u201d he said. \u201cThe effects reach fish, birds, wildlife, agriculture and human communities alike.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in Kohat, Iqbal watches the flowing waters of the River Sindh as his workers finish feeding the fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For him, the debate over water treaties and regional politics is deeply personal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His ponds, his livelihood and the future of his children are tied to the river\u2019s uninterrupted flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are not asking for much,\u201d he said quietly. \u201cWe only hope that the rivers continue to flow as they always have. If the water survives, our communities will survive too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As uncertainty surrounding regional water resources continues, fish farmers, fishermen and rural communities across Pakistan remain hopeful that the rivers originating in the Himalayas, Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountains will continue to sustain both people and biodiversity for generations to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reference Link:- https:\/\/www.app.com.pk\/featured\/iwt-violations-put-mahseer-population-livelihoods-at-risk-in-khyber-pakhtunkhwa\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Fakhar-e-Alam PESHAWAR, Jun 18 (APP):As the morning sun casts a golden glow over the banks of the River Sindh in Kohat district, 65-year-old fish farmer Iqbal Khan begins another day tending to the ponds that have sustained his family for decades. Driving his loader rickshaw along the edge of his 10-kanal fish farm near […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32207,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"aside","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[30750,30743,24990,24991,25658,483,24992],"class_list":["post-33791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-aside","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sample-category","tag-impact-of-indian-blocking-pakistani-water","tag-indian-violation-of-treaty","tag-indus-water-treaty-3","tag-iwt-3","tag-kpk-province-2","tag-pakistan-2","tag-water-sharing-2","post_format-post-format-aside"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33791"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33792,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33791\/revisions\/33792"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/32207"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gsrra.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}