Critical Water Shortage in Pakistan Threatens Economic and Social Stability
Pakistan is currently facing a severe water crisis that significantly affects its social, environmental, and economic dimensions. Successive governments have been criticized for their lack of action, despite the looming water scarcity that has been evident for decades.
During the recent Ramadan Eid, the government in Islamabad was unable to provide adequate water supplies, exacerbating the situation. A significant portion of the population remains without access to safe drinking water, and the country is experiencing a 30% shortfall in water availability for the upcoming sowing season.
Karachi, Pakistan’s financial capital, is among the cities hardest hit by the water shortage. Hamid Ameer Ali, a local resident, expressed his frustration, saying, “The situation is terrible. We pay for 72 hours of water supply per week, but we only receive 18 hours.” The government has been criticized for not addressing the issue of water mafias, which exacerbates the water scarcity.
Pakistan also faced unprecedented flooding in 2022, which submerged one-third of the country, and experienced heavy rainfall in April 2024 that led to flash floods. Despite these events, Pakistan continues to struggle with water stress, a situation expected to worsen by 2035 due to climate change.
According to the UN’s ‘Global Water Security 2023 Assessment’ report, Pakistan is in the critically water-insecure category. The report highlights the dramatic decline in per capita water availability, which has decreased by over 80% in the past 70 years.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) previously warned that Pakistan might reach a stage of absolute water scarcity by 2025. Factors such as a rapidly growing population exacerbate the problem, impacting health, education, and livelihoods.
Water scarcity is also linked to the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera, diarrhoea, dengue, and malaria. Additionally, it impedes education for young girls; for example, twelve-year-old Farzana used to walk 7 km daily to fetch water, which prevented her from attending school. However, her situation improved after the Japanese government funded a hand pump in her village.
Agricultural practices in Pakistan, which are highly water-intensive, face sustainability challenges amidst climate change. Muhammad Azam Khan, an assistant researcher with Pakistan’s Indus River System Authority, noted, “There was less snow than usual this year due to climate change, affecting the glaciers. This directly impacts the availability of water for kharif crops in the summer.”
Warnings from the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources suggest that the country could face severe drought by 2025 if no significant measures are taken. Yet, government response remains lackluster.
Experts attribute the crisis to factors including governmental neglect, corruption, and policies favoring water-intensive agriculture. Uzair Sattar, a research associate at the Stimson Centre, emphasized that water insecurity could worsen Pakistan’s existing socio-economic and political challenges.
A group of local researchers identified regional politics, government mismanagement, and a general lack of awareness as key contributors to the crisis. They argued that a combination of increasing population, urbanization, unregulated industrialization, and insufficient water management infrastructure are critical factors exacerbating the situation.
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