Afghanistan, April 20 -- The River Indus-once the heart of South Asia's earliest civilization and a vital source of life for millions in Pakistan-is in a state of severe decline. Stretching over 3,000 kilometers from the glaciers of the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea, the Indus has long sustained agriculture, biodiversity, and livelihoods across the country. Today, it is increasingly at risk due to environmental degradation, overuse, pollution, and the worsening impacts of climate change.
Despite its historic and ongoing importance, the Indus is struggling under immense pressure. Engineering interventions-such as dams, barrages, and canals-have altered its flow, disrupting ecosystems that once depended on natural flooding patterns. While the...