Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The Indus valley constitutes a cultural and agricultural artery of Pakistan. The Indus River is becoming increasingly unpredictable due to extreme climatic conditions, conflict over water and river water mismanagement, including intensified monsoon rainfall, accelerated glacial melting and variations in Himalayan snowfall, largely associated with global warming. These interacting processes appear to be amplifying environmental instability and flood risks thereby threatening the lives of thousands of river-dependent communities. An in-depth analysis explores the river system from its origin-tracing historical developments, examines the impacts of climate change and regional conflict on this water system. The Indus River Basin is significant as it provides livelihood for farmers, fishers and cattle herders to two major provinces of Punjab and Sindh. Through a post-modernist perspective, this paper conceptualizes the Indus River as a Living Entity. This paper highlights the River Indus as a living system and suggests that incorporating communitty-based knoweldge and engagement into river governance may contribute to the development of more responsive and sustainable climate-adaptive governmental policies.
Author: Mushtaq, Dr. Shireen
Institution: Kinnaird College for Women University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7220026837