Karachi:
In a session held at the Karachi Press Club under the theme “Obstructions and the risks for the natural river paths of Karachi”, environmental experts, legal professionals, urban planners, writers and civil society representatives stressed the urgent need to safeguard the natural drainage channels of the city and ecological balance.
The Gathering, Attended by Legal Expert Aberah Ashfaq, Karachi Press Club Secretary Sohail Afzal Khan, Kazim Hussain Mahesar, Hafeez Baloch of The Indigenous Rights Alliance, Urban Planner Muhammad Tohid, Professor Dr Abubakar Baloch, Environmentalist Darya Khan, Historyn and Writer Azeem Dehqan, and Many Others, Highlightd The Vital Role of the Malir and Lyari rivers, along with their connected currents and tributaries, to maintain Karachi’s ecological balance and provide natural flood drainage. The participants emphasized that the survival of these river routes and their ecosystems was essential for the long -term safety and sustainability of the city.
The speakers demanded that the Malir and Lyari rivers formally recognized as “living roads” and that all the obstructions, invasions and illegal constructions are eliminated throughout their courses. In addition, they emphasized that any future construction in these natural river paths should be completely prohibited to preserve the ecological resilience of the city.
A resolution was approved unanimously during the session. He asked that the peri -urban areas of Karachi, particularly Malir, Gadap, Moedan and Kathore, were declared permanent green areas and rural territories. This, argued the resolution, would protect agricultural land and centenary villages of being consumed by rapid expansion housing schemes and would allow agricultural land to retain their vital importance. The resolution also demanded a strict application of the existing prohibition of the extraction of sand and gravel of the Malir River and its tributaries, warning that such activities compromise the structure of the river paths and interrupt natural flows.
The participants urged the government to classify the agricultural lands of the Malir district as a green zone in the city’s master plan. In addition, they requested the restoration of leased land to local farmers or grant them property rights, while providing subsidies to farmers to strengthen local food production and maintain ecological balance. Concerns were also raised about the destruction of mangrove forests and other coastal ecological assets, and the participants demanded an immediate high for deforestation, invasions and the degradation of coastal resources. Instead, effective programs must be launched to restore and expand mangrove coverage, they said.
The speakers emphasized that in the face of climate change, rapid population growth and unplanned urban expansion, Karachi must urgently adopt modern and sustainable global planning standards. This includes the application of safe housing and construction regulations, as well as the formulation of a robust disaster management plan. They also insisted on a total prohibition of the discharge of toxic industrial and chemical waste in the Malir River or on any natural river route. The industries, they said, must be forced to get rid of their waste through modern waste management systems, and extraction without control of groundwater for industrial and commercial use must be prohibited to safeguard the city’s water reserves.
The resolution also requested immediate and effective legislation to protect the natural resources, river routes and agricultural lands of Karachi. Participants also urged a greater construction of the Bhutto road to undergo an impartial environmental assessment. They proposed any land exposed by the extension of the road near the Malir River, should be used for forest development to restore ecological balance.
