River Indus the life line of Pakistan, rises up in Tibet China, enters Indian held Ladakh region before entering Pakistan up north. It flows from east to west before turning its course southwards in Gilgit Baltistan region towards Arabian Sea. It runs the entire length of Pakistan, snaking pass some of the highest mountain ranges in Himalaya and Karakoram; it flows through the deepest gorges in the shadow of numerous majestic peaks that rise above 5000 meters before entering the plains.

All along its treacherous journey though mountain ranges spread over hundreds and thousands of kilometres, what starts as a small stream in Tibet enters the plains as a mighty river. Further downstream it is joined by five of its major tributaries and by other river systems; it traverses through the rest of the country before emptying into Arabian Sea.

A journey spread over 3,000 kilometres starts as a small stream and as it flows through its course it is joined by springs, streams, small and big rivers along with their tributaries, giving it strength and might. Indus gives life and colour to a land where we all live in. Without this river system this land would turn into a desert. Most of Pakistan is an arid land; this river system is the life giver to our land. It provides life to Pakistan!

What will happen to river Indus if its springs, streams and all of its tributary rivers follow a path of their own? What will happen to the springs and streams? What will happen to the river joining Indus if their springs and streams follow a path of their own? What will happen to the people and land supported by Indus River System?

It doesn’t take Einstein to answer these questions. Indus as we know of exists only because it goes from strength to strength, from a small glacial stream up in remote reaches of Himalaya to a mighty powerful roaring river as it joined by waters all along its course. Without these waters giving life and strength, Indus will lose its identity, might and seize to flow. All of its springs, streams won’t have the strength to flow either; hence the land we know as of today will turn into a desert. Even grimmer outcome would be that this land won’t be able to support us.

Indus only exists because it is joined by waters of great many springs and streams. These springs and streams not only give their waters to river Indus but also give Indus its identity. Moreover all these springs and streams do retain character of their own.

One of the interesting facts of Indus is that all rivers of our land join it from all provinces to give it strength and might. Let it be spring, streams and rivers of Gilgit Baltistan or five rivers of Punjab or in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa river Swat joining river Kabul before falling into Indus or lesser known rivers like Tochi, rising from Sufaid koh, traversing though North Waziristan, Bannu and joining river Indus near Mianwali or Gomal River of South Waziristan or Zhob river rising in mountain ranges of Koh Suleman, flowing through Balouchistan, eventually into River Indus.

Rivers are formed when joined by waters of springs and streams; the mightier the river more spring and streams it is bound to have. Or let’s put it this way; collectivism gives rise to great and mighty. Collectivism is exactly what Islam also preaches and asks all faithful to adhere to. United we stand, divided we fall.

Let’s ask ourselves another set of questions, why we are Pashtun, Mohajir, Saraki, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Punjabi, Balouchis, Balti, Hindko and not Pakistani? Are we willing to lose our national identity? Are we willing to remain small springs, streams, ethnic groups and tribes? Not a powerful, resourceful and mighty nation? Is this our fate? Is this that our forefathers and elders fought from British? Is this we want to pass on to our children? Is this really what we want?

Let me theorize, we are the Sons and Daughters of river Indus. Our identity is anchored in the waters of this mighty river and not etched in faraway lands of Central Asia or Arabia or any other place. We might have come from there but we are settled here for centuries and hence Indus and the land it supports gives us our identity. We are the window of our glorious past looking upon us from the great civilizations of Moen Jo Daro (present day Sindh Province), Harapa (Punjab province) and Mehrgarh (Baluchistan Province). We are the modern day forerunners of the civilizations which existed in our land; they were as ancient as any other civilization in the world and most sophisticated for their times.

We are Pashtuns, Mohajirs, Sarakis, Kashmiris, Sindhis, Punjabis, Balochis, Balti and Hindkos. We can be ethnically diverse; tribally assorted and linguistically varied. But we all are springs and streams that give their identity and name to make a Nation, a Nation we call Pakistan. We need to put our act together, go from strength to strength, support & respect each other and rise as a resourceful, respected and mighty Nation!

About the author

The author is a Telecommunication Engineer and a keen observer of the changing trends of the society. Loves nature, books and music.

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