PESHAWAR
As the first golden rays of sunlight spread over the fertile plains of Lundkhwar tehsil, 45-year-old farmer Muhammad Ishaq steps quietly into his melon fields in village Moti Banda, Mardan, worrying about water scarcity amid repeated violations of Indus Water Treaty (IWT) by India.
Moments after offering Fajr prayers, Ishaq and his brothers begin their daily harvest, hoping to earn maximum capital during Iftar.
Moving carefully between rows of green vines, they pluck ripe melons and place them gently into sacks one after another before the rising sun grows too harsh.
During the holy month of Ramazan, the sweet, juicy fruit has become a staple on iftar tables across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Demand has surged, turning melons into one of the most sought-after seasonal fruits in local markets during Iftar.
But for farmers like Ishaq, the harvest season brings not only opportunity but it also carries growing uncertainty amid Indus Water Treaty violations by India.
“After Fajr prayer, I come to the fields with my brothers to pick melons before the sun becomes stronger,” Ishaq says, adjusting his white cap while selecting another ripe fruit.
For him, the crop represents months of careful work, watering and hope for financial stability.
Melons have quietly emerged as one of the most profitable seasonal crops in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab province.
“With proper irrigation and good management, a single acre can produce hundreds of kilograms,” Ishaq explains. “Farmers can earn between Rs200,000 and Rs300,000 per acre if everything especially water supply—goes well.”
Ishaq’s optimism about the future harvest is overshadowed by concerns about water availability following repeated violations of IWT by India.
Farmers across the region fear that disruptions in western rivers flows could threaten crops and fruits orchards that depend heavily on irrigation from the Indus Basin system.
Agriculture in districts like Mardan and Swabi relies largely on water supplied through Tarbela Dam on the Indus River. Any reduction in water flow could directly affect seasonal crops including wheat, rice, sugarcane and fruits such as melons, watermelons and strawberries.
“Water is the lifeline of agriculture,” Ishaq says. “If river flows decrease, crops like melons and watermelons in Swabi, Swat, Mardan and Charsadda could disappear quickly.”
Melon growers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are already struggling with changing weather patterns and IWT violations by India could further negatively impact on agriculture sector.
In Nowshera district, farmer Malyar Khan who has cultivated melons for more than a decade on bank of River Kabul says irregular rainfall and climate change have badly affected production in his five-acres orchard this season.
“Normally an acre yields around 400 to 450 kilograms,” he says. “But the lack of rainfall has reduced production and our daily income.”
Extreme weather events have also increased farmers’ vulnerability. Floods in the Kabul and Swat rivers in 2022 damaged fruit farms in several districts, destroying crops and exposing the fragile nature of seasonal agriculture.
Many farmers are now demanding better irrigation planning and interest-free loans to help them survive difficult seasons.
Agriculture and environmental experts warned that any disruption in river flows could have far-reaching consequences for Pakistan’s farming economy and food security.
Gohar Khan, former Chief Conservator of the Forest Department and an environmental expert, says climate change is already altering rainfall patterns and accelerating glacier melt in northern Pakistan.
“These changes are affecting seasonal crops and fruit production especially melons across the province,” he explains.
He cautioned that continued tensions over river waters could worsen the situation.
“If water flows become unpredictable, fruit orchards as well as crops like wheat and rice in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh may suffer severe losses,” he said, warning that IWT violations could even trigger a humanitarian crisis in vulnerable communities.
Pakistan depends on the Indus Basin irrigation system for more than 80 percent of its irrigated agriculture, making stable water flows essential for the country’s food security.
Economists said irregular water releases by India can also disrupt Pakistan’s irrigation management system and create floods in Punjab and Sindh province.
Professor Muhammad Naeem of the Economics Department at the University of Swabi said that sudden fluctuations in flows of western rivers can disturb canal operations and reservoir management.
“When water is released without prior coordination, Pakistan’s irrigation planning becomes difficult,” he says. “Ultimately, the farmer suffers the most.”
He emphasized that stable water supplies are critical not only for farmers but also for national agricultural productivity.
Experts argued that Pakistan must accelerate the construction of new dams and water reservoirs to strengthen its water security.
Major projects include Diamer-Bhasha Dam, expected to generate 4,500 megawatts of electricity, and Mohmand Dam with a capacity of around 800 megawatts.
Several additional dam sites along the Indus, Swat, Kabul and Kurram rivers have also been identified.
While small dams can be completed within two to three years, large reservoirs may take 10 to 15 years to build. According to projections, Pakistan could require an additional 76 million acre-feet of water by 2050 to meet growing agricultural and domestic needs.
Back in Mardan, the morning harvest of melons continues as its demands soared during Ramazan in KP.
Muhammad Ishaq fills sack after sack with freshly picked melons before preparing to send them to the market.
For him, the fruit is more than a seasonal delicacy rather it is the foundation of his family’s livelihood.
“This crop feeds our families,” he says quietly, gazing across rows of green vines stretching under the rising sun.
“We only hope the rivers keep flowing so our fields remain alive.”
For thousands of farmers across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, the future of Pakistan’s melon harvest may depend not only on weather and markets but also on the fate of the rivers that sustain their land.
