Crackdown on waste dumping in Indus demanded

Published March 8, 2026
Muncipal workers throw waste into the Indus River in Shangla district. — Dawn
Muncipal workers throw waste into the Indus River in Shangla district. — Dawn

SHANGLA: The residents of Bisham have complained about the dumping of waste into the Indus River near Lahore Nullah, which is causing environmental pollution and posing a hazard to aquatic life.

The Bisham civil society members and ordinary residents living near Lahore Nullah and Bataira told journalists on Saturday that the local government staff had been dumping the city’s waste into the Indus River for the last several years, which is causing environmental blight and a sickening smell.

They said waste is brought by the local government and TMA Bisham staff in small trucks from the city and thrown into the river.

A local Sajid Zeb said the waste dumping had polluted the local environment, as stench from the waste is spread over a 500-meter radius, restricting the movement of residents who used to walk along the Karakoram Highway in that area.

Amir Khan, another local resident said that they had lodged several complaints to the local government officials but to no avail.

He urged the government to establish a designated dumping site and ensure its environmental safety, demanding an immediate end to the discharge of waste into rivers and streams.

Sadeedur Rehman, chairman Bisham tehsil, when contacted he told Dawn that they were looking for a site and the area to dump waste.

MAN KILLED: A man was shot dead inside a mosque in the Sadeen area of Bisham tehsil on Saturday.

According to the police, a man was making ablution when unknown assailants fired at him, killing him instantly.

Police identified the victim as Muhammad Yasir, a resident of Skargah, Battagram district.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2026

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