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 …
IWT violations put Mahseer population, livelihoods at risk in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
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 waves.
However, beneath the routine lies a growing uncertainty among fishermen amid Indus Water Treaty’s violations by India that put aquatic resources under heightening danger in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Iqbal’s concern is not about market prices or disease outbreaks, but about the future flow of water itself in the wake IWT violations by fascist Modi Govt in April last year.
Like many fish farmers across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Iqbal fears that India’s continued suspension of historic 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) could threaten freshwater ecosystems and the livelihoods of thousands of families dependent on fisheries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“Every day I look at this river and wonder what the future holds,” he told APP. “Our 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.”
For generations, the waters of the River Sindh and River Kabul have supported native fish species, including the prized Mahseer—often referred to as the “king of freshwater fish” due to its size, strength and ecological importance.
“Mahseer farming depends on clean, flowing water,” he explained. “If river flows become irregular or polluted, fish populations will decline rapidly. It is not only about fish rather it is about the survival of thousands of families connected to this trade.”
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.
Former director general fisheries department, Ayaz Khattak, said that freshwater species such as Mahseer and trout are particularly vulnerable to changes in water availability.
“These species are highly sensitive to alterations in river flow,” he said. “Mahseer cannot survive in polluted or severely disrupted aquatic environments. Their breeding cycles depend on natural seasonal water patterns.”
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.
“If water availability becomes uncertain, how will these prized fish survive?” he asked. “A river is a living system. When you disrupt one part of it, the entire ecological chain is badly affected.”
The concern extends beyond Mahseer among fishermen of Khyber Pakthunkhwa. Species such as Rohu, Thaila, Silver Carp and Brown Trout could also face increased risks if river conditions deteriorate.
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.
“A sudden reduction or fluctuation in water can destroy spawning grounds and threaten entire fish populations,” Khattak warned.
For fishing communities, environmental concerns quickly translate into economic hardship in KP where fast melting of glaciers due to climate change may create floods during monson if IWT violations continued.
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 his decision.
In KP, demand for fish rises significantly during wedding seasons, religious festivals and family gatherings and demands are fulfilled through native species.
“Water is not merely an economic resource,” Ayaz Khattak emphasized. “It is directly linked to food production, nutrition and livelihoods. Any disturbance to river ecosystems has consequences far beyond fisheries.”
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.
The sector contributes around 0.31 percent to Pakistan’s GDP and provides direct and indirect employment to nearly one million people.
“Many people only see fish on their dining tables,” said Iqbal Khan who associated with fish farming for the last 25 years. “They do not realize how many families work behind the scenes from hatcheries and farms to transport and markets.”
Experts cautioned that declining fish populations could also create wider food security challenges in KP amid rapid population growth.
Fish remains one of the most affordable sources of animal protein for many households, particularly in rural areas.
“The decline of native fish species would not only affect fishermen,” Iqbal said. “It would make nutritious food less accessible for ordinary families, resulting stunting in children and mothers.”
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.
“Freshwater species such as Mahseer and trout have considerable economic value,” he said. “They are appreciated for their taste and quality. Any reduction in production could affect both domestic markets and export opportunities.”
Political analysts believed that the issue extends beyond water-sharing arrangements and has broader implications for economic stability and food security.
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.
“Safeguarding the Indus Water Treaty is not simply a diplomatic concern,” he said. “It is linked to food security, livelihoods and the future well-being of millions of Pakistanis.”
Dr. Hilali maintained that nearly 80 percent of Pakistan’s agriculture depends on the Indus Basin irrigation system.
“Any uncertainty regarding water flows affects crops, livestock, fisheries and ultimately the entire economy,” he said. “Rural communities are often the first to feel the impact.”
He argued that disruptions to river systems could increase pressure on already vulnerable populations struggling with rising production costs and climate-related challenges.
Dr Hilali said that India has lost all justifications after International Courts of Arbitration ruling in favour of IWT.
He said that water should not be used as weapon and India must adhere to the international treaties, otherwise it will set a wrong precedent as tomorrow China can also block India water being an upper riparian country.
He said that water should bnot be used as weapon and India must adhere to the international
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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.
“Mahseer populations have been declining due to multiple pressures especially of throwing of solid waste in rivers,” Khattak observed. “Water pollution, habitat loss and changing environmental conditions are already affecting fish stocks. Additional stress from water disruptions could worsen the situation.”
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 Chanab, Sindh and Jehlum rivers.
“Disrupt one river and you destabilize an entire ecological network,” he said. “The effects reach fish, birds, wildlife, agriculture and human communities alike.”
Back in Kohat, Iqbal watches the flowing waters of the River Sindh as his workers finish feeding the fish.
For him, the debate over water treaties and regional politics is deeply personal.
His ponds, his livelihood and the future of his children are tied to the river’s uninterrupted flow.
“We are not asking for much,” he said quietly. “We only hope that the rivers continue to flow as they always have. If the water survives, our communities will survive too.”
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.
