DURING a recent visit to the Ravi River in Lahore, I heard stories of how the recent flood had taken back what once belonged to the river. Fields that had been turned into housing schemes were swallowed overnight. It was a reminder that the river, once thought tamed, was only waiting for its moment to return. That same story could easily unfold hundreds of kilometres south — not along a riverbank, but on the Arabian Sea’s restless shores in Karachi, where the sea seems to be inching forward.

In coastal settlements around Karachi, the water creeps further inland each year. Areas that were once playgrounds, courtyards and open spaces are submerged during high tides. What was once a seasonal nuisance has now turned into a constant threat, with seawater pushing into the city.

The rise of the concrete jungle as a consequence of unplanned urbanisation has made matters worse. Just as encroach- ments squeezed the Ravi, Karachi’s shoreline has been steadily eaten up by real estate projects. Luxury housing blocks rise where mangroves once stood. These mangroves were not just trees, they were the city’s armour, absorbing waves, sheltering fish nurseries, and shielding coastal communities.

Now, with the protective green belt disappearing, every storm tide reminds Karachi that the sea is not passive. Like the Ravi, it has a memory. Who will pay the price? When land along Clifton and Defence Housing Authority (DHA) is reclaimed, it is celebrated as ‘development’. But when the sea reclaims land in Korangi Creek, Rehri Goth or Machar Colony, it is called a ‘disaster’. The reality is that the sea makes no distinction — it simply moves where space is left for it to return.

Scientists warn that by 2050, parts of Karachi, like Korangi Creek, Hawkesbay and even sections of DHA Phase-VIII, could be permanently underwater if sea levels continue to rise. But the warning is not abstract. The advance of the sea is already visible, step by step, and tide by tide.

There must be a way forward, and there, indeed, is. Those at the helm must rethink the city’s relationship with the Arabian Sea. Protecting mangroves, halting reckless reclamation, and planning with climate change in mind are not luxuries; they are survival strategies.

The matter needs immediate attention because, whether it is Punjab or Sindh, water always comes back for its land.

Kundan Kumar
Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2025