ISLAMABAD: WWF-Pakistan, on the occasion of World Wetlands Day 2025, underscored the urgent need to protect and restore the country’s wetlands, which serve as crucial ecosystems for biodiversity, local communities, and sustainable development.
In a press release issued on the occasion, WWF-Pakistan highlighted that Pakistan is home to more than 240 significant wetlands, covering approximately 10% of the country’s land area.
These wetlands provide essential ecosystem services such as water filtration, carbon storage, flood control, and habitat for migratory birds and commercially important fish. However, these fragile ecosystems are under severe threat due to water scarcity, pollution, encroachment, unregulated development, climate change, and unsustainable resource extraction.
“The health of wetlands has been severely impacted by water stress, untreated industrial waste, land reclamation, and agricultural runoff. These factors continue to shrink wetland areas, diminishing their ecological value,” the organization stated.
The degradation of wetlands has placed several species at risk, including the Indus River dolphin, freshwater turtles, and migratory birds.
The Ramsar-listed wetlands in Pakistan such as Keenjhar Lake, Haleji Lake, Chashma Barrage, and Jiwani Coastal Wetlands are critical breeding and feeding grounds for species like white-headed ducks, flamingos, cranes, and the critically endangered Siberian crane.
