Water crisis is knocking

Pakistan is facing other crisis and now water insecurity is also knocking at the door.
Pakistan is rich in water resources and encompasses water reserves as in glaciers of
Himalayas and annual rainfalls that feed 50-80% of its water supply in the western rivers-
Chenab, Jhelum, Indus and eastern- Ravi, Sutlej and some other underground resources.
However, Pakistan is ever increasing its water consumption with the rise in population, but
being the most vulnerable country in the South Asian region to the effects of climate change
and the resulting water crisis, the government is reluctant to pay any attention to water
resource development and water conservation measures. As a result, the shortage of water
reserves is becoming a threat to water security in the country. If there were normal rainfall,
no attention would be paid to this aspect. However, due to a slight decrease in the duration
of rainfall, concerns about water shortage in the country have started to escalate.
According to a report by the United Nation Development Program (UNDP), Pakistan is
among the ten countries in the world that will face a severe water crisis from 2025. If the
government and the public do not resolve this crisis together, the most severe food crisis in
Pakistan will begin by 2030 due to drought and persist to wreak havoc till 2050.
This situation is warning us of the seriousness of the future crisis. In addition, reports of
several international organizations, including the World Bank, IISD, NIH, FAO and Uniceff,
are also drawing us towards planning and strategies to avoid the risks of water scarcity. A
comprehensive report by the World Bank on Pakistan's development and environment
warns that due to climate change, water use for non-agricultural purposes may increase
significantly in Pakistan. As per this report, water demand in Pakistan is likely to increase
by 60% with a three-degree Celsius surge in temperature by 2047, while water use may
expand by another 15% with further changes in temperature.
Surprisingly, over the previous two decades, experts have warned that Pakistan would
become one of the water-scarce countries by 2025, and today’s scenario indicates that
water supplies have plummeted, yet nothing is being done. While the Asian Development
Outlook has been warning since 2013 that Pakistan has a water storage capacity equivalent
to only 30 days of supply. Although a water storage capacity of 1,000 days is recommended
for a country with a diverse climate like Pakistan. If timely attention had been paid to
increasing water capacity, the situation would have been different today. However, now is
the time for Pakistan to alternate sustainably its water consumption patterns, water
management and water reservoir capacity on an emergency basis. The use of modern
methods to increase water efficiency in the agricultural sector has also become
indispensable. Along with this, there is an urgent need to adopt a frugal attitude towards
water. Pakistan is among those countries where per capita water consumption is the
highest in the world. Public awareness is crucial to ensure water security and sustainable
consumption while increasing water reserves is also necessary.

At present, Pakistan has three dams in terms of large water reservoirs, Mangla, Tarbela,
Warsak and some other hydropower projects like Chashma barrage. Even if they are full,
they can store the required water for about seven days, while according to water experts,
this capacity should be at least a hundred days. The neighboring country, India has
increased its capacity by more than six months, while a developed country like the United
States can store its water reserves for about 3 years, while Pakistan is not transcending
beyond a week. The country should have to build dams immediately so that the water that
is lost to the Arabian Sea instead of being stored can be made usable and increase the water
reserves. However, there is also a striking need to make the canal system efficient so that
water scarcity can be controlled. Trees must be planted as part of the Upscaling Green
Pakistan Program to mitigate the environmental impact of extreme temperature. The
government has begun the process of banning and imposing fines on the indiscriminate use
of water. Meanwhile, public awareness should be stimulated about the importance of using
water sparingly in order to prevent wasting this exquisite blessing. The government has a
duty to devote its resources to ensure equitable supply of water to all the provinces,
because the survival of the country is threatened more by water scarcity than by terrorism.
The resource and economic development planners should take steps on a war footing and
think seriously about solving this problem, because the solution of water shortage is not a
matter of just one day.
Currently, the water crisis in Pakistan is progressing with the ticking of the clock and is
knocking on our door. If such daunting issue is ignored like other escalating crisis, the
country may face severe environmental, economic and social challenges in the future.
Therefore, it is imperative to consider this climatic and unsustainably induced issue
seriously and timely steps are taken, otherwise only by adopting innovative and effective
strategies for water conservation can we lay the foundation for a safe and stable Pakistan.
Written by
Attiya Munawer
Bio- The writer is an Environmentalist and activist. She covers human rights and
politico-environmental issues and can be reached at
@AttiyaMunawer
Email- attiabutt121@gmail.com