In a bid to combat worsening environmental challenges around Manchar Lake, the Sindh government and WWF-Pakistan have agreed to collaborate on the Recharge Pakistan project—a strategic initiative aimed at mitigating the impacts of floods, droughts, and pollution in one of Pakistan’s largest freshwater lakes.
The announcement came after a delegation from WWF Pakistan’s Recharge Pakistan project met with Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro in Karachi. The delegation included Senior Director Fawad Hayat, Brigadier (Retd) Muhammad Amjad Azad, and other environmental experts, according to a communiqué issued on Saturday.
The discussions centered on restoring the ecological balance of Manchar Lake, reducing environmental threats, and uplifting the livelihoods of local communities affected by the lake’s decline. According to Senior Director Fawad Hayat, the project carries a total estimated cost of $8 million (approximately PKR 2.25 billion) and is scheduled to run over seven years, concluding in 2031.
Minister Jam Khan Shoro welcomed the initiative and assured full government support for efforts to rehabilitate the lake, improve environmental conditions, and ensure better living standards for the surrounding population.
He expressed grave concern over the lake’s deteriorating health, attributing the problem to heavily polluted water discharged from urban areas and agricultural fields, particularly through the Main Nara Valley Drain (MNVD). The unchecked inflow has significantly increased the lake’s salinity, damaging its natural ecosystem and threatening biodiversity.
