Rivers that are both deep and peaceful are a pleasure to observe. Anyone can find peace and tranquility in an instant thanks to the calming waves and serene surroundings.

The rivers are not only a source of peace and beauty, but they are also crucial in terms of economics and politics. In addition to being a major supply of potable water, rivers are also important for irrigation and the creation of hydroelectric power.

A stable economy can only be established if there are rivers in the area. Beautiful scenery, historic architecture, the most harrowing places, and an abundance of natural resources are all found in Pakistan. Many beautiful landscapes are found in the area.

 Mountains tower over the sea and lush green meadows cover the land. Several rivers flow across Pakistan. 

To learn more about Pakistan’s biggest rivers, keep reading.

Major list of rivers in Pakistan

River Jhelum

Located in northern India and eastern Pakistan, the River Jhelum flows through the Kashmir Valley and into the Arabian Sea. It is a tributary of the Chenab River and flows for around 725 kilometers in total length (450 mi).

When it comes to the etymology of the river, there are some really interesting stories.

It is said by some historians that when “Dara-e-Azam” finally reached the river after a series of fights, he put his flag on the river bank and named the location “Ja-e-Alam,” which translates as “place of the flag.”

As time went on, people began referring to “Ja-e-Alam” as “Jhelum.” Some individuals also believe that the river’s etymology has something to do with Sanskrit. The river’s name comes from an apocryphal fable that has been passed down through generations.

The river Vitasta was said to have been named by Lord Shiva himself, according to tradition. It is also referenced as one of the principal rivers in Rigveda, which is a collection of ancient Hindu scriptures.

When Alexander the Great and his army crossed the Jhelum River in BC 326, they were victorious over the Indian monarch, Porus, during the Battle of the Hydaspes River.

The river receives its water from the Verinag spring, which is located at the foot of the Pir Panjal range in Kashmir. The river then joins its tributaries, the Lidder River at Khanabal and the Sind River at Shadipora, both of which are located in the Kashmir Valley.

Flowing through Srinagar and the Wular Lake before entering Pakistan, the river is named the Indus. It also has a connection with the rest of Pakistan as well as Pakistani Kashmir through the Kohala Bridge, which is located east of the Circle Bacote.

After that, it is joined by the Poonch River and drains into the Mangla Dam reservoir in the Mirpur District of Rajasthan.

There are several lakes attached to the River Jhelum. The lakes include:

The Jhelum River has a lot of potential for generating electricity. The following river dams have been proposed by the government as a result of these efforts.

Mangla Dam, built-in 1967, has a storage capacity of 5,900,000 acre-feet, making it one of the greatest earth-fill dams in the world (7.3 km3)

A maximum flow rate of 850,000 ft3/s (24,000 m3/s) is achieved by the Rasul Barrage, which was built in 1967.

Trimmer Barrage, built-in 1939 at the junction of the Chenab and Jhang Sadar rivers about 20 kilometers away from Jhang Sadar, has a maximum discharge capacity of 645,000 ft3/s (18,000 m3/s).

Victoria Bridge (Haranpur) was built in 1933 and is the longest bridge in India. Approximately 5 kilometers from Malakwal, in the vicinity of Chak Nizam Village.

It has a length of 1 km and is mostly used by Pakistan Railways, but it also has a passage on one side that is open to light cars, motorbikes, cycles, and pedestrians.

Uri Dam, which contains a 480 MW hydroelectric power facility, is located in the state of Jammu & Kashmir.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir hosts the 330-megawatt Kishanganga Hydroelectric Plant (KWHP). Because of modern technology, it’s simple to check your electricity bill online if you’d like. Paying your gas bill online is easy if you follow these instructions.

River Chenab

In terms of natural beauty and picturesque views, Pakistan is a country to be admired. With everything from lush green plains to enormous mountain ranges to majestic deserts, Pakistan has something for everyone.

In the same way, as the River Jhelum is divided between India and Pakistan, so is the Chenab.

It begins in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh and runs through the Jammu region of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir into the plains of Punjab, Pakistan, before joining the Indus River near the city of Uch Sharif.

Indians were familiar with the river from the Vedic period. It is believed that Alexander the Great constructed the town of Alexandria, which is today known as Uch Sharif, on the Indus River in 325 BC.

After joining Chenab, Jhelum and Ravi combine with Sutlej, and the two rivers connect to form Panjnad, which is located near Uch Sharif.

In the southwest, the merged stream flows for approximately 45 miles before merging with the Indus River at Mithankot. The Indus River continues its journey into the Arabian Sea.

River Ravi

Located in northwestern India and eastern Pakistan, the River Ravi is a major waterway. It is also one of the Indus System’s six rivers that flow through Punjab. The waters of the River Ravi were allotted to India under the terms of the Indus Water Treaty.

In a similar vein, the Indus Basin Project diverted water from the western rivers of the Indus system to replenish the Ravi River in Pakistan. According to ancient history that may be traced back to the Vedas, the Raavi River was known as the Iravati River.

Indus River Basin, the River Ravi is considered to be one of the most important components of the basin, and it serves as the headwater of the Indus Basin. If you have a passion for history, you should not miss the opportunity to explore historical sites in Pakistan.

We recommend visiting water parks in Karachi with your friends and family if you want to unwind and relax together.

The Ravi River’s waters flow into the Arabian Sea (Indian Ocean) via the Indus River in Pakistan, where they meet the Arabian Sea. The river’s source is in the Bara Bhangal district of Himachal Pradesh, India, and it flows south.

After flowing for 720 kilometers, the river drains a total catchment area of 14,442 square kilometers (5,576 square miles) in India, draining a total catchment area of 14,442 square kilometers (5,576 square miles) (450 mi).

In Pakistan, the River Ravi is also crucial for the preservation of the country’s vegetation. It is responsible for the deodar, walnut, Quercus ilex, mulberry, alder, edible pine, twisted cypress, chinar, Cedrela serata, sisso, olive, and Kakkar trees, among other species of trees.

River Sutlej

The River Sutlej is the longest river in Pakistan, and it originates in the state of Punjab. In the northern Indian and Pakistani regions of the subcontinent, it is a transboundary river. In the native language, the Sutlej River is referred to as Satadree (Satadree River).

In Tibet, the Sutlej River originates west of the catchment area of Lake Rakshastal, where it flows into the Indus. According to the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan, India is entitled to use the waters of the Sutlej River.

When measured upstream of the Ropar barrage, which is located across the Sutlej River downstream of the Bhakra dam, the river has an annual flow of around 14 million acre-feet (MAF).

In Pakistan, the Sutlej River is noteworthy because of its contribution to the development of hydroelectric power. The Sutlej River is the source of a large number of hydroelectric projects in Pakistan.

The projects include the Bhakra Dam, which has a capacity of 1,325 megawatts, the Karcham Wangtoo Hydroelectric Plant, which has a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, and the Nathpa Jhakri Dam, which has a capacity of 1,500 megawatts.

River Indus

The Sindhu River is another name for the Indus. This river, the Indus, was known to the ancient Indian people as Sindhu (Sanskrit for “boundary”) and the Persians as Hindu (Hinduism). Located in Asia, it is one of the continent’s greatest rivers by volume.

Chinese territory (Western Tibet), Indian territory (Ladakh), and Pakistani territory all share the river’s path. The river winds its way through India’s Ladakh area before merging with the Arabian Sea in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Overall, the river’s drainage basin covers an area larger than 1,165,000 km2 (450,000 sq mi). Its yearly flow is calculated at 243 km3 (58 cu mi). The river’s geography is also rather interesting. The Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush mountain ranges are the source of this water.

Pakistan’s Punjab area is made up of the northern half of the Indus Valley and its tributaries, whereas Sindh, the lower course of the river, finishes in a vast delta. Read about Karachi’s best attractions.

For Pakistan’s economy, the Indus River is a vital source of water, particularly in Punjab province, which is home to the majority of the country’s agricultural output. Find out what there is to do in Lahore that is entertaining.

These are Pakistan’s significant rivers. Tourism, power generation, and agriculture all benefit from these projects, as well as the country’s economy as a whole. Learn about Pakistan’s online vehicle registration.

River Kabul

The Kabul River is 435 miles long, rising from the Hindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan and draining into the Indus River in Attock, Pakistan. It originates in Afghanistan and empties into the Indus at Attock.

The Kunar, Bara, Swat, longer, and Panjshir rivers are the most significant tributaries of the Kabul River. Because of the melting snow in the Hindu Kush, the river surges and spills its banks throughout the summer months.

The Kunar tributary carries a greater volume of water than the Kabul river. Along the course of the River Kabul, a number of dams have been built.

The Warsak Dam in Pakistan, which is approximately 20 kilometers long and located in the northwestern metropolis of Peshawar, is the most major. The river Kabul gives its name to the settlements and the city of Kabul itself.

Conclusion

Rivers are the lifeline for all living things on the planet. All of the civilizations that have existed throughout history have arisen, grown, and evolved along the banks of rivers. Life circulates through them because they are the veins of the planet.

In addition to making our world habitable, rivers also enhance its beauty to an extraordinary degree. Rivers provide immeasurable benefits to humans, animals, and plants. In addition to providing potable water, they also provide irrigation for agricultural purposes as well as for power generation, transportation, food, recreation, and leisure.

Because rivers are so important to man’s survival, it is his moral obligation to ensure that they are in perfect health and free of pollution. Rivers, on the other hand, have become extremely polluted as a result of growing industrialization and urbanization.

They have expanded to become massive dumping grounds. Waste, such as sewage, effluents, and other dangerous chemicals, must not be dumped into rivers in order to prevent damage to the environment.

The people and the government must work together to ensure that effluent treatment plants are installed at industrial, trash, and sewage facilities.

FAQs

What is the importance of rivers in Pakistan?

Because Pakistan receives insufficient rainfall, crop farming is not a viable option in the country. In the same way, the contribution of subsurface water by lift irrigation is extremely limited as well.

As a result, rivers serve as Pakistan’s sole source of irrigation, supporting the country’s entire economy.

How many rivers are there in Pakistan?

The Indus Basin Irrigation System (also known as the Indus Basin Irrigation System) is one of the world’s largest contiguous irrigation systems and is located in Pakistan (IBIS).

In total, the system consists of six major rivers, namely the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, and Kabul, and the tributaries of these rivers.

What is the main river in Pakistan?

The Indus River is Pakistan’s longest and largest river, and it is also the country’s longest largest river. The Indus and its adjacent rivers provide around two-thirds of the water used for irrigation and domestic consumption.

Which river is not in Punjab?

The Jhelum river does not pass through the province of Punjab.

Where do 5 rivers meet in Punjab?

The Panjnad River is generated by the confluence or merging of five rivers in Punjab, namely the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej, which occur in succession.

Panjnad is located 10 miles north of Uch Sharif in Muzaffar Garh district, where the rivers Jhelum and Ravi join Chenab, Beas joins Sutlej, and then Sutlej and Chenab merge to form Panjnad.