Cholistan Residents Forced into Seasonal Migration as Ponds Dry Up

Communities in the Cholistan desert of southern Punjab are undertaking seasonal migrations in growing numbers as the region's traditional water ponds — known locally as tobas — dry out entirely under sustained and extreme heat, leaving both people and livestock without viable water sources.

Cholistan's pastoral communities have historically relied on a network of rainwater-fed ponds that sustain livestock herds across vast stretches of the arid landscape. The failure of these ponds, attributed to below-average rainfall and record temperatures, has forced families to abandon their traditional grazing routes and seek water in distant urban areas or irrigated zones.

The displacement represents a deepening humanitarian challenge, as Cholistanis lack formal land tenure, social safety net access, and urban services in their destination areas. The migration also threatens the cultural continuity of pastoral communities whose livelihoods are inseparable from the desert ecology.

Conservation experts warn that without government intervention — including emergency pond desilting, water trucking, and investment in solar-powered water lifts — seasonal displacement could harden into permanent demographic disruption. This year's crisis is considered one of the most severe on record for the region.