Water Crisis in Pakistan a growing Threat to the Nation’s Future

Water Crisis in Pakistan: Pakistan has been blessed with rivers, glaciers, and lush agriculture, yet the country is facing a major water crisis, which is going to destabilise the economy, environment, and people’s lives. The water crisis is a creeping catastrophe, even as deadly as political instabilities, economic issues, and security matters, which are progressively accelerating the rate of destruction unless corrective measures are taken seriously.

What’s the severity of the crisis? 

The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has spoken out with a warning that the whole of Pakistan might only consist of dry land by 2025 unless some urgent measures to reverse the situation are taken. In 1951, the per capita water in the region of Pakistan’s Indus River was 5,260 cubic metres. 

Pakistan is now a water-scarce country with well under 1,000 cubic metres of water. This is not a threat that lies in the distant future, but it will harm millions of people now. There is a shortage of water in the rural regions as well as a supply of drinking water. Urban areas like Karachi and Lahore have issues with water distribution, polluted sources, and reliance on expensive water tankers that are not always available.

Causes of the Water Crisis

1. Rapid Population Growth

In the last few decades, Pakistan’s population has exploded, growing to over 240 million people by the year 2025, compared to just 37 million in 1950. Both of these wild swings in growth signify a rising level of water demands in agriculture and industries, as well as households. consumption. The growing population necessitates a rise in water management, a goal that remains unfulfilled. 

2. Poor Water Management

Most of the waters that flow in Pakistan by the Indus River system are lost through bad planning and a lavish wastage of the waters. Almost 60 percent of the water is pumped away in transit through poor irrigation facilities, old water pipes, and no water storage. 

3. Lack of Dams and Storage System

Although Pakistan can store water for only about 30 days, even after experiencing heavy monsoon rains and the flow of glacier-fed rivers, this duration is significantly below the advised minimum period of 120 days. India, on the other hand, can generate more than 200 days of storage capacity. Most of the water ends up in the sea without proper dams and reservoirs. 

4. Global Warming and Melting of Glacier

Pakistan belongs to the most vulnerable countries regarding climate change. Global warming is causing rapid melting of the Himalayan glaciers that provide the Indus River, causing floods, and it is presumed to endanger the river streams, which can cause droughts and crop failures. 

5. Water Pollution 

Another significant issue is pollution in freshwater. Factories ordinarily release their chemical effluents into rivers in their untreated forms and there are no sewage systems in most locations and those that exist are faulty. This pollution has led to individuals in most towns and villages being forced to drink impure water, leading to diseases like cholera, hepatitis and typhoid.

Impact on Agriculture and Food Security

Agriculture makes up 19% of Pakistan’s GDP, while its workforce, which relies on irrigation, makes up 38%. Most of the crops are dependent on canals and rivers. Reduced water availability reduces agricultural productivity, which subsequently leads to a food shortage with a resultant increase in prices. 

Some crops, such as wheat, rice, sugarcane and cotton, need a lot of water. Lack of proper planning for the future will lead to food imports when Pakistan lacks inflows — questions across the board for a country already going through rampant inflation and a devastated economy. 

Social and Health Consequences

Water crises can also ignite grave social issues. Provinces such as Sindh and Balochistan frequently complain about not receiving their fair share of downstream river water, a situation often accompanied by political posturing. Most clashes in cities occur on water tankers and supply lines. 

When potable water is out of reach, these people have to travel long distances to fetch it, mainly women and children, increasing exposure to risks such as ill health and exploitation. This has declined productivity and also education opportunity. 

Diseases resulting from poor drinking water account for 30–40 percent of hospital admissions in Pakistan. The pressure mounts on an already overburdened health system.

What Needs to Be Done

New Dams and Storage 

Pakistan needs to build its medium and large dams to harvest excess rainfall and glacial melt. This includes that projects such as Diamer-Bhasha Dam and Mohmand Dam are built fairly and with a strong commitment to completing construction of the facilities.

Modernizing Agriculture 

Farmers must be trained and outfitted with the modern-day irrigation practices (e.g., drip irrigation and spray irrigation), which would help them to reduce water consumption. Farmers must also transition their production systems away from water-intensive crops and encourage uptake of drought-resilient production systems. 

Pricing of Water and Conservation 

Water in Pakistan is usually free or subsidised at a low price and encourages wasteful behaviour for its consumption and use. This includes establishing a fair price for water, where price ultimately drives responsible use. Our government must prepare the public through basic educational advertising that prepares the people and our industry to consume responsibly and judiciously the water in their households, communities and industries. 

Pollution 

We must totally enforce our industrial pollution legislation and provide treatment facilities where we can treat waste to allow for reintroduction into the natural environment via tributaries, rivers or canals of our watershed. 

Climate adaptation 

Along with watershed management on a national scale, long-term climate strategies must become part of our national planning projects. We can establish a climate strategy to address the predicted impact of climate change on our water, hydrology, and natural resources by purposefully supporting local projects for reforestation, rainwater collection, water reuse, and the protection of glacial melt resources.

Conclusion

Pakistan’s water crisis is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. The crisis is not just environmental; it is also one of public health, national security, and economic stability. However, with appropriate planning, financing and cooperation between the federal and provincial governments, it is one of many challenges that is solvable. 

Every drop needs to be counted, and every action makes a difference.