Pakistan, April 13 -- The silence over Sindh's wetlands is deafening and telling. A shocking 15% decline in migratory bird populations has been recorded across the province's key wetland sites. From Haleji Lake to Keenjhar Lake, the absence of birds that once flocked to these water bodies all the way from Siberia serves as a stark warning sign of a much deeper ecological crisis unfolding right before our eyes.

Wetlands cover less than 10% of Pakistan's landmass but support over 225 species of waterbirds, many of them migratory visitors from Siberia and Central Asia. These ecosystems recharge groundwater, regulate monsoonal floods, and sustain more than 2 million people in Sindh alone through fishing, farming, and livestock grazing. When ...