Karachi's Waterways Under Siege: Call for Urgent Restoration Amid Climate Crisis

Climate change and urban planning experts, alongside civil society representatives, are sounding alarms over the dire need to restore Karachi's natural waterways. According to a report by Dawn, they warned of heightened flood risks if neglect continues. During the session, 'Obstacles to Karachi's Natural Waterways and Potential Threats,' held at the Karachi Press Club, concerns were raised about illegal constructions, including those in Saadi Town and Saadi Garden, which block waterways and pose environmental hazards.

Participants emphasized the pressing need to remove obstructions in the Lyari and Malir rivers, which often swell with torrents from the Kirthar range, as they discussed the urgency of upgrading Karachi's infrastructure. Urban planner Muhammad Toheed highlighted the lack of priority given to climate-related issues in Pakistan, despite the nation's acute vulnerability to climate impacts. He pointed to the failure in proper planning and coordination among civic authorities, which results in poorly constructed roads that exacerbate flooding by allowing water to accumulate in flood-prone areas.

Agriculturalists and historians reflected on Karachi's lost era of agricultural productivity, lamenting that poor urban planning has devastated once fertile lands. Social activists warned that continued disregard for natural waterways could have disastrous consequences, citing historical incidents of infrastructural failures. A resolution called for the urgent restoration of the city's waterways and sewerage system to safeguard agricultural lands and adapt the city to evolving climate patterns. The session concluded with calls for swift governmental action.