Haleji Lake Faces Ecological Decline as Migratory Birds Stay Away

(MENAFN) Haleji Lake, Pakistan’s first man-made freshwater lake, is facing a severe ecological crisis, raising concerns among environmentalists and wildlife officials.

Located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Karachi, the lake was created in 1942 to supply fresh water to British troops stationed in the city during World War II. For decades, its clear waters and surrounding marshes made it a prime winter destination for migratory birds traveling thousands of miles from Siberia, drawn by the lake’s rich biodiversity.

However, the lake’s condition has dramatically deteriorated in recent years. Reduced water levels, stagnation, pollution, and climate-related factors have transformed Haleji into a murky, turbid waterbody. Once fed by the mighty Indus River and a key water source for parts of Karachi until 2018, the lake has not received fresh inflows for the past eight years, severely affecting its ecological health.

“There has been no inflow of fresh water from the Indus River into the lake over the past eight years, which has badly affected its health, in addition to disturbing the ecosystem,” said Sohail Ahmed Khoso, an official with the Sindh Wildlife Department. He added that inflows from the Indus began declining in 2000 and stopped entirely in 2018.

Haleji Lake, which has been designated a wildlife sanctuary, was once a winter haven for the largest numbers of migratory birds in the region. Today, its ecosystem is under serious threat, highlighting the urgent need for conservation measures as Pakistan observes World Wetlands Day on February 2.

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