WWF-USA hails Punjab’s Indus dolphin sanctuary as landmark conservation milestone

• Commends CM Maryam for achieving landmark conservation of endangered Indus River dolphin

• Praises Panjnad Indus River Dolphin Sanctuary as historic initiative that will help protect and increase population of world's rarest freshwater species

• CM orders province-wide expansion of free seasonal vegetable project after Muzaffargarh success

 LAHORE: The World Wildlife Fund (WWF-USA), the world's largest non-governmental environmental conservation organization, has commended Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for achieving what it described as a landmark milestone in the conservation of the endangered Indus River dolphin, praising the establishment of the Panjnad Indus River Dolphin Sanctuary as a historic initiative that will help protect and increase the population of one of the world's rarest freshwater species.

WWF-USA welcomed the creation of Punjab's first protected natural habitat dedicated exclusively to the conservation of the Indus River dolphin. The initiative to declare the sanctuary a protected area was launched by Senior Provincial Minister Mariyum Aurangzeb on the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

“Safe habitat for endangered Freshwater Dolphin”
Punjab's first Panjnad Indus River Dolphin Sanctuary.

123 mile protected river stretch declared which covers the significant confluence of Punjab's five rivers Protecting the endangered Indus River Dolphin! pic.twitter.com/sN0krgBe14

— Government of Punjab (@GovtofPunjabPK) July 17, 2026

The sanctuary stretches across approximately 123 miles of the Indus River and encompasses the historic confluence where Punjab's five rivers merge. The natural habitat of the Indus River dolphin has continued to shrink over the years, placing the species at serious risk of extinction. Experts attribute the growing threat primarily to increasing river pollution and extensive alterations to the river's natural flow caused by human interventions.

According to conservation experts, only about 2,000 Indus River dolphins remain worldwide. Nearly 80 percent of their natural habitat has disappeared over the past century due to the construction of dams and barrages. Punjab is currently home to approximately 660 Indus River dolphins, with more than 600 recorded in the province and nearly two-thirds of them inhabiting the newly established sanctuary area.

Experts believe the establishment of the sanctuary will not only strengthen conservation efforts for the endangered species but also improve the overall health of the river ecosystem, benefiting fish populations, other aquatic wildlife and local communities that depend on the river for their livelihoods.

The new sanctuary will also be linked with the existing protected area in Sindh, creating a legally protected continuous river habitat extending approximately 249 miles, providing a safer ecological corridor for the species.

Conservationists emphasized that such protected river corridors are essential for the survival, movement, feeding and breeding of dolphin populations whose habitats have become fragmented by dams and barrages.

WWF-USA has been working for the past three decades on the conservation of the Indus River dolphin through scientific research, rescue operations, public awareness campaigns and close collaboration with government institutions.

 CM launches ‘Saanjhi Sabzi’ project to provide free seasonal vegetables

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz launched a unique public welfare initiative titled "Saanjhi Sabzi" (Shared Vegetables) in Muzaffargarh to provide free seasonal vegetables to local residents while encouraging community participation and the productive use of vacant public land.

Launched on the chief minister's directions, the project involves cultivating seasonal vegetables on vacant government land located around public buildings in urban areas as well as in villages across rural Punjab. Under the initiative, vegetables are currently being grown on 140 plots covering 139 kanals in Muzaffargarh, with residents already receiving free vegetables according to their household needs.

وزیراعلیٰ پنجاب مریم نواز شریف کی ہدایت پر مظفرگڑھ میں عوامی فلاح کا منفرد منصوبہ کامیابی سے جاری ہے۔ سرکاری خالی اراضی پر موسمی سبزیوں کی کاشت کے ذریعے ضرورت مند شہریوں کو مفت سبزیاں فراہم کی جا رہی ہیں۔
یہ قابلِ تقلید اقدام اب پنجاب بھر کے اضلاع میں بھی شروع کرنے کی ہدایات جاری… pic.twitter.com/WZV53pCzMP

— Government of Punjab (@GovtofPunjabPK) July 17, 2026

The project was formally inaugurated from a village inhabited by the Christian community in Muzaffargarh, where the initiative has also inspired local residents to voluntarily cultivate vegetables for the benefit of others, reflecting a growing spirit of community welfare and social responsibility.

Describing the project as an innovative model worthy of replication, the chief minister directed deputy commissioners across Punjab to launch similar initiatives in their respective districts to promote food security and public welfare.

During a meeting with Deputy Commissioner Muzaffargarh Muhammad Usman Tahir Jappa, CM Maryam Nawaz appreciated the district administration's efforts in implementing people-centric welfare initiatives. In recognition of his performance, she awarded the deputy commissioner the Chief Minister's Merit Badge along with a cash prize of Rs100,000.

Briefing the chief minister, the deputy commissioner said government land ranging from one marla to one kanal had been identified in villages throughout Muzaffargarh for vegetable cultivation under the "Saanjhi Sabzi" project.

The chief minister directed the deputy commissioner to continue implementing public welfare initiatives and ensure the long-term sustainability and expansion of the project across the district.