Now there is no time to think of what you don’t have, think of what you

can do with what there is

There is no other country in South Asia than Pakistan which is facing

three-pronged threat because of a serious water crisis. First, on January
17, in a debate on water crisis, several members of the Sindh Assembly
accused the federal government of usurping the water rights of Sindh
province and held the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) responsible
for transforming their province into a barren land. Second, sandwiched
between India in the east and Afghanistan in the west, Pakistan’s water
predicament is deepening with each passing day. Third, India has built
dams and barrages on the rivers Jhelum and Chenab in its controlled
parts of Jammu and Kashmir, whereas New Delhi is assisting
Afghanistan to construct hydropower projects and dams on the Kabul
River. The World Bank is also reported to have expressed its interest to
provide $7.079 billion for the construction of 12 dams on the Kabul
River.

If India intends to deprive its western neighbor of its legitimate water

rights guaranteed under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, its policy to
engage Afghanistan in exerting pressure over Pakistan by reducing the
flow of the Kabul River will certainly add to Islamabad’s water
predicament in the days to come. How the Indian water strategy and
diplomacy is perceived as a major threat by Pakistan and as a double-
edged plan to augment water woes for its eastern neighbor? What
should be Pakistan’s response to meet what it calls India’s policy to
deprive it of water resources from the Indus and Kabul rivers systems?
How Pakistan can deal with intra water conflicts, particularly between
the provinces of Sindh and Punjab?

Pakistan and Afghanistan share nine rivers with annual flows of around
18.3 million acres feet (MAF), of which the Kabul River accounts for
16.5 MAF. Another river which is shared by Pakistan and Afghanistan is
the Chitral River which originates in Pakistan and contributes 8.5 MAF,
but when it enters Afghanistan this river is called the Kunar River.
Unlike India and Pakistan where the Indus Waters Treaty as a legal
document determines the water distribution for the two countries, there
is no such water treaty between Pakistan and Afghanistan despite the
fact that Islamabad has been urging Kabul to sign a bilateral treaty on
the distribution of water resources shared by the two countries. As a
lower riparian state, Pakistan has a right to get its share of water from
the Kabul River inasmuch as the upper riparian state on the Chitral
River Pakistan can use the water of that river but when that river enters
Afghanistan from Pakistan, as a lower riparian state Afghanistan has a
right to use its share of water from that river.

Pakistan’s double water jeopardy is compounded because of three main

reasons:

First, the failure of Pakistan to build mega dams in the last 45 years.
The last mega dam, Tarbela, was built in 1974 whereas it could have
constructed Kalabagh Dam on the Indus River and Munda Dam on the
Kabul River. The only dam which has been built on the Kabul River is
Warsak Dam which is insufficient to meet irrigation and energy needs
because it generates only 500 megawatts of electricity and irrigates
119,000 acres of land. If India can help build 12 hydropower projects
with a capacity to generate 1,177 megawatts of electricity and 4.7 MAF
of water for irrigation from the Kabul River, why has Pakistan not been
able to proceed in the direction of making use of the Kabul River for
power generation and irrigation by constructing dams? Paradoxically, if
China and India have built hundreds of dams for power generation and
irrigation, Pakistan has been unable to build mega water reserves over a
period of last four decades which tends to deepen the scarcity of water
resources. Kalabagh Dam, which was to be constructed on the
confluence of the Indus and Kabul rivers, has been made so
controversial that some political parties from the provinces of Sindh
and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) are not even ready to listen to any
argument in its favour. Approximately 145 MAF of water is available in
Pakistan during the monsoon season out of which 106 MAF is used for
irrigation through canals and the rest either evaporates or falls into the
sea. Pakistan’s case against Afghanistan building dams on the Kabul
River is weakened because it has not focused on making use of the
availability of 16.5 MAF of water from the Kabul River.

Second, if India has successfully built barrages and dams on the three
rivers given to Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty i.e. Indus,
Chenab and Jhelum knowing that it was violating the treaty, how can
Pakistan prevent New Delhi from helping Afghanistan construct 12
dams on the Kabul River? India is not only helping Afghanistan in
constructing dams on the Kabul River but according to reports there are
plans to build sub-basin four more dams on the Kabul River which
include the $72 million Haijana project (72MW) with water storage
capacity of 178,420 acres feet; $207 million Kajab (15MW) project with
water storage capacity of 324,400 acres feet; the $356 million Tangi
Wadag (56MW) project with capacity to store 283,850 acres feet; and
$51m Gat (86MW) project with water storage capacity of 405,500 acres
feet.

Third, if several dams on the Kabul River are being built in Afghanistan,
it may have a devastating impact on Warsak Dam as its main source of
water is the Kabul River. The cut in the flow of water of the Kabul River
will also prevent Pakistan from constructing dams in future on the
tributaries of the Kabul River, including the Kalabagh, Mohmand and
Munda dams. Pakistan’s predicament on current water crisis is further
deepened because water availability has dropped to an alarming 1,200
cubic meters today from 5,650 cubic meters per person couple of
decades ago. It is feared that if Pakistan fails to conserve water and
build water reservoirs then by 2025, as warned by the Pakistan Council
of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), the country will approach
absolute water scarcity. According to a report by the International
Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan ranks third amongst countries facing
water shortages. Such type of forecasts and predictions about Pakistan
running out of its water resources in coming years has sent shockwaves
in the corridors of power which prompted the Supreme Court and the
Prime Minister to establish a fund for the construction of Diamer-
Bhasha and Mohmand dams.

The Indus River System Authority is supposed to deal with the

distribution of water among provinces and often in meetings of IRSA,
Sindh accuses Punjab of taking its share of water vehemently denied by
Punjab.

The need is to establish a mechanism in Pakistan to deal with intra-

water issues so that the year 2025, which is called ‘ground zero’, is
averted. Not only can building more water reservoirs on suitable
locations help Pakistan successfully deal with a severe water crisis, it
can also help it cope with the challenge of the India-Afghanistan nexus
as far as depriving Pakistan of Indus and Kabul river water system is
concerned.

In a nutshell, the solution to the three-pronged threat emanating from a

severe water crisis rests with Pakistan as by utilising optimum human
resource one can expect the country to successfully deal with the threat
of ‘ground zero’ in 2025. Proper conservation of water and augmenting
the tree plantation drive will also help overcome water crisis in the
country. Besides, effectively fighting its case at the international level
against the alleged violation of the Indus Waters Treaty by India needs
to be rigorously and wisely pursued
Essay on water

Water scarcity versus water mismanagement in Pakistan

The water crisis in Pakistan is both a supply and a demand side issue
with various contributing factors at play. On achieving statehood in
1947, the country held 5,300 cubic meters of water per capita, which
has now been reduced to 1000 cubic meters. Pakistan faces continued
clashes with upper riparian India over rights to water from the Indus
river. Moreover, a historic lack of political will to consider the
repercussions of water scarcity has led to underinvestment in water
infrastructure and sub-optimal pricing of water across all sectors.
Underpricing and inadequate regulation has created a pervasive culture
of irresponsible water consumption and lack of conservation. However,
since the reasons for mismanagement stem from several quarters, the
solution for optimal utilization of water is not straightforward.

Pakistan’s water scarcity is the result of a combination of factors,

including the mismanagement of water resources and burgeoning
population growth. Currently Pakistan’s economy is one of the world’s
most water-intensive economies in terms of cubic meters consumed per
unit of GDP. Further, its water productivity is among the lowest,
producing 0.13kg of agricultural output per cubic meter, while that of
the US’s stands at 1.3kg. Low productivity compounded by spiraling
population growth has meant dwindling water quantities available per
person. For these reasons, the country was declared as water scarce in
2005.

To discuss this further, the Consortium for Development Policy

Research (CDPR) organized a policy talk around issues of water
mismanagement in Pakistan. The panel hosted the Minister for
Irrigation, Punjab, Mr. Mohsin Leghari, Dr. Erum Sattar, Visiting
Fellow, Harvard Law School, and Mr. Arif Nadeem, CEO, Pakistan
Agriculture Coalition (PAC). The session was moderated by Mr. Ali
Habib, Managing Director of an environmental consulting firm, Hima
Verte.

Dams may not effectively address water scarcity

Constructing dams at upper riparian locations of the Indus river basin

can be considered as a means to evenly control year round water flows
going all the way down to Sindh. Mr. Leghari emphasized on the need to
develop a consensus on the Kalabagh Dam. He further explained that in
addition to good returns on investment, the project promises, contrary
to popular belief, 88% share in the additional water storage for all
provinces other than Punjab, with Sindh being the major beneficiary.
Yet, despite this knowledge, politicians are unable to find a way
forward.

Construction of dams, however, will not address the emergency of

dwindling water resources and availability of clean drinking water
unless agriculture methods are modernized. More than 90 percent of
fresh water is diverted towards agriculture. Agriculture in Pakistan
relies on inefficient methods that over-extract and waste water. Lack of
technological advancement in agriculture is perpetuated by misaligned
state incentives for uptake of technology and use of more productive
seeds. Farmers find it economically viable to grow water-intensive crops
such as sugar cane and rice and waste water, even though these crops
do not contribute significantly to the economy.

Mr. Arif Nadeem discussed it would be more financially and

environmentally sustainable to import (instead of over produce) sugar,
and shift to value-added crops like sesame seeds with high economic
value and comparative advantage. Such crops not only utilize less water
but also generate foreign exchange.

The government should thus redirect farmers towards sustainable

agricultural choices through imposition of state regulation for water
conservation and correcting its pricing. Currently the water price does
not reflect its scarcity. It is instead valued at the cost incurred for
maintaining water infrastructure and extraction borne by the farmer in
the form of electricity bills. This comes down to a paltry PKR 135 canal
water charges per year and PKR 3000 to 5000 per acre watering
charges for electricity.

Construction of dams may not ensure an adequate water supply unless

they also address the issue of water losses incurred due to faulty
construction of both reservoirs and distribution infrastructure.
Distribution network losses amount to 50 to 55 million acre feet (MAF)
of water every year.

Policymakers must bear these points in mind before the construction of

proposed Bhasha Dam, that can potentially store up to 8.5 MAF of
water begins. Mr. Leghari added that Pakistan currently stores less than
10% of the water that flows compared to a global average of 40%.

Water management as a solution to water scarcity – Lessons from the

Colorado river basin

Pakistan can learn from the significantly successful water management

strategies deployed in the Colorado river basin. Dr. Sattar presented the
findings of her extensive research on the basin highlighting lessons for
Pakistan. The Colorado basin in America is currently undergoing a two-
decade drought. Despite this, the US government has managed to
increase both its agriculture productivity by 25 percent and its power
generation by 30 percent. The US was able to do this by building
consensus amongst all relevant stakeholders for implementing effective
reforms, which is something that the Indus River System Authority
(IRSA) in Pakistan has not succeeded in doing thus far. Dr. Sattar
further shared that Indus river basin has 10 times more water in the
system than the Colorado water system and yet Pakistan’s GDP is
lagging massively behind.

The broad contours of the solution comprise rationalization of water

use, especially for agricultural purposes, which can happen through
adequate costing of water and will prompt higher productivity per each
drop of water. Crop zoning has proven crucial for conservation of water.
Demand management, through mobilizing extra cubic meters of water
– and not dams – remains the cheapest per liter source of water.

Latest policy response on water mismanagement in Pakistan

A National Water Policy 2018 has been formed, which has determined
the key priorities on which the newly formed water commission, run by
Federal Ministers, will urgently work towards. To this end, a
coordination body has been assembled for tackling the multifarious
issues pertaining to water mismanagement by bringing all stakeholders
on board for political ownership. This is a similar model which was
followed by the US government for the efficient utilization of water
from the Colorado river basin despite the seemingly unsurmountable
challenges they faced. Their institutional coordination included all
political and private sector influencers in the matter from the highest to
the lowest echelons relevant for contributing to the solution. That level
of transparency and fervent intention is what needs to be replicated in
Pakistan for sound implementation of the identified priorities.
Sharmin Arif is the Communications Associate at the Consortium for
Development Policy Research

Dancing around the fire is not the solution to any problem.

One should try to see beneath the surface in order and to
grasp an idea about the basic issue. Despite a stream of
strong words and announcements made by the previous
governments of Pakistan, nothing has been done properly in
order to counter the water crisis in the country. Rather the
situation has taken a quantum leap for the worse.

Water is a source of life but unfortunately, Pakistan is in the

grip of its scarcity, which has disturbed the whole national
life. The aggravating crisis is gnawing at the public mind and,
regrettably, it has considerably contributed towards straining
national harmony and there are no sings of tiding over this
grim situation.

With the gradual depletion of water resources, the precarious

situation is further embittered by the shortage of rainfall
which is so essential for the agriculture sector. This
deteriorating state has accentuated the feelings of
deprivation among the smaller provinces. Exploiting the
situation the hard liners in the areas have embarked on
lashing Punjab with a heavy stick for its alleged neglect in
resolving the share of water and usurping their share.

Pakistan, according to experts, is going through the worst

water shortage of history. The current drought in Sindh and
Baluchistan has shattered the economy as well as agriculture
of the country. Back in fifties, Quetta was considered
Pakistan’s prime orchard, which provided fruit for the
country and for export as well. However now many growi9ng
areas are in critical situation, threatened by over use of
ground water and natural droughts.

Water shortage has badly affected the agricultural sector of Pakistan

which heavily depends on agro based economy. The agricultural lands
of the Punjab and Sindh, mostly depend on canal water irrigation
because in some areas underground water is brackish. Present water
crisis, if allowed to continue, would reduce the production of wheat, rice
and sugarcane etc. Briefly water crisis in the country has spread deep
concern. The shortage is threatening to create famine like condition
across Pakistan.

Water scarcity produces a complex web of impacts that spans many

sectors of the economy and reaches well beyond the area experiencing
physical drought. Pakistan has been caught in the same on the whole
national life of the country.

The direct impacts of water crises in Pakistan have reduced crop, range
land, forest productivity and water level. On the other hand, it has
increased livestock, wildlife and human beings mortality rates and
damaged the wildlife and fish habitats. Direct or primary impacts
becomes so diffuse that it’s very difficult to come up with financial
estimates of damages.

There are also some social impacts of water crisis in Pakistan, which
have mainly involved public safety, health problems, and conflicts
between the provinces over water usage. It has also reduced the quality
of life.
Environmental losses in Pakistan are the result of damages to plant and
animal species, wildlife, air and water quality, degradation of landscape
quality, the loss of biodiversity and the social erosion, caused by the
drought.

the demography of Pakistan has also changed due to migration of

affected population to the already over populated cities. It may increase
pressure on the social infrastructure of the country which may enhance
poverty, social unrest and ethnicity.

The genesis of the issue is a fact universally acknowledged that water

crisis is the national concomitant of our own making. We were fully
conscious of the fact that our salvation lay only in building dams, but we
conveniently glossed over the problem and remained totally oblivionus
of the dire consequences. All our past governments continued lasting on
the strings of building the Kalabagh Dam, but succumbing to the
pressure of vested interests, the issue was each time shelved. In case of
our inability to withstand pressure conserving building of Kalabagh,
alternately, we could have focused our attention on construction of
smaller dams. We did not do the either. Hence the present catastrophe!

World wide experience with governments developing and allocating

scarce resources have been a failure, as demonstrated by the Soviet
Union’s collapse. Similarly government control of water in Pakistan, as
in most counties, has been ineffective at allocating water to where it is
most needed. Neither has it succeeded in ensuring the cost effective
design, construction and drainage infrastructure nor in preventing soil
salinity and environmental degradation.

Mismanagement in production and delivery of this valuable resource

has compounded the problem. Many public investments in irrigation
and drainage were inappropriately designed, expensively constructed
and a re being poorly operated and maintained which has resulted in a
severe water crisis in the country.

The general behavior of the masses towards water as to take it a free

commodity is one of the main causes about its wastage. They do not
care I for wasting billions of gallons of water, daily without using it.

The historical background of the issue irradiates that at the time of

partition of sub continent when the province of the Punjab was divided
into two parts i.e. the Western Punjab and the Eastern Punjab, the
former was linked with Pakistan and the latter remained with India, it
gave rise to a serious dispute about the distribution of water between
the two states. The two main rivers Ravi and Sutlej along with their
respective headworks of Madhopur and Ferozpur were in East Punjab.
India claimed tht it had complete right over these rivers as they
originated from Indian territory and their respective head works were
in India. While Pakistan claimed that under the international law it had
a right, to the water of Rivers Ravi and Sutlej as its economy was
dependent on it. India proposed that a joint commission be set up in
which outstanding questions could be resolved. The Pakistani
government insisted for the dispute to be settled legally by the
international court of justice. Moreover the dispute was related to the
Kashmir question, as other three rivers flowed into Pakistan from
Indian held Kashmir, namely, the Indus, Jhelum and the Chenab.
Pakistan faced such critical situation as it could not refer the dispute
over rivers to the arbitral tribune which was established but eh British
grown to settle the issues arising between Pakistan and India at the
time of partition.

Later on the water dispute was resolved through a treaty, named “Indus
Water Treaty” in 1960 with the mediation of the World Bank. Through
which Pakistan succeeded in managing the scarcity of water by building
alternatives i.e. various barrages, link canals and huge dams likes
Terbella and Mangla but at the same time it was deprived off from its
official right over three rivers; Ravi , Sutlej and Beas, as the were given
to India and Pakistan was given its full right over the other three rivers
i.e. Indus, Jhelum and the Chenab. The main gain for Pakistan at the
time, was that India could not legally interfere with the water coming
through the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.

Pakistan designed and built Mangla Dam on river Jhelum, keeping in

view the assurances made by India in “Indus water Treaty”. But India
backed out of its promises and assurances and started constructing a
barrage named “Wullar Barrage” on the same river i.e Jhelum in its
occupied valley of Kashmir. Pakistan protested against the construction
of the barrage and argued that it was not only against the provisions of
the Indus Water Treaty but also had serious ramifications for its
economy. India claimed that the project would only regulate water flow
in the river Jhelum and was beneficial to the hydro electric power
projects down stream in both sides of the valley. After several rounds of
talks between both the parties, an agreement was drafted on the
dispute, which would allow India to build the Barrage but under
specified conditions regarding the quantum of water to be resorted and
released. As a matter of fact by constructing the barrage, India gained
control over the water of river Jhelum, releasing or withholding it at
will depriving Pakistan from a huge quantity of water legally belonging
to it. Due to the construction of the barrage the silt in the Mangla Dam
has increased and the life span and the agriculture sector of Pakistan.

No doubt all the barrages, dams and canals played a vital role in the
agricultural sector, but at the same time it has proved itself a severe
danger for the soil fertilization, causing water logging and salinity due
to natural percolation of water from the banks of the canals.
Moreover a huge amount of water is wasted through percolation which
itself has caused scarcity of water in its availability for agricultural
lands.

The population of Pakistan, which has increased up to a level where

exists a vast gulf between the consumers and the available resources. As
more population requires per person more amount of between
increasing population and decreasing water quantity.

On the other hand the government of Pakistan did a little to over come
and to manage the existing and the coming severe scarcity of water
which has resulted in the form of drought in many parts of the country.

However the Water accord of 1991, among all the provinces of Pakistan
holds much importance in the history of Pakistan. As prior to this
accord water was distributed amongst the four provinces on ad hoc
basis on year to year. The interim arrangements were neither based on
coherent policies nor consistent regulation practices and did not take
into account optional harassing of widely fluctuating river flows and
future regulate the distribution and redress provincial grievances.

After the singing of this historic accord and by establishing regulatory

institution named “Indus River System Authority”, the distribution of
water was started according to demand as per indents from the
provinces. The authority has played a vital role in the prevailing
situation of natural drought and depleted storage of water in the dams.
It has acted with high professionalism and has managed the
distribution affairs skillfully.

Keeping in view the prevailing critical situation regarding water crisis in

the country, the present military regime has succeeded in launching its
“2025 Vision Progrmme” which is a bold step towards a better
management. It is a mega plan for water resources and hydro water
development. The objects of the plan are to bail out the country form
water crises, to relish the decrease in capacity of existing reservoir and
to develop maximum possible water reservoir for the agri sector. The
program mainly involves the projects of ‘Gomal Zam Dam, Greater Thal
Canal, Chasma Right Bank Canal, Quetta water Project, Katchi Canal,
Reini Canal and to raise the height of Mngla Dam, which are proposed
to build in various parts of the country. The plan is real effort to
overcome water shortage as well to minimize the sense of deprivation
among the provinces, to strengthen the federation and to remove
provincial disharmony.

Water being a valuable basic ingredient, it needs to be saved at all cost

for the survival of human and animal life. No doubt, it is our sacred
duty to do so.

to overcome the existing water crises, proper use of water in

agricultural sector is needed which requires fresh water but a huge
amount of water is wasted before reaching the crop.

The total availability of water irrigation can be increased by building

water reservoirs and tapping the ground potential and better
management, which aims at reducing the transit or conveyance losses
and promoting improved agronomical practices on the farm.

It is also proposed that form the water flowing out to the sea of which a
substantial quantity can be sorted through building dam of wastage of
water from canal through percolation can be saved by lining them.

The increasing problem of availability of pure drinking water can be

handled by drilling more and more tube wells in the rural areas
especially in Thar and Balochistan. Moreover inexpensive drinking
water can be obtained in coastal areas by installing low cost water
treatment plants that use solar energy for the desalination of sea water
the treated water can be supplied to coastal areas by pumping stations.
The process not only ensures the availability of abundant clean drinking
water, but also provides employment to the locals. The salt obtained
from this process can be used in commercial and industrial
applications.

The proposed Kalabagh Dam which is said to be guarantee of a

prosperous Pakistan should be dealt without any regional and political
bias. After safeguarding the national interest and protecting the
reservation of the provinces it must be constructed.

So conceived in this way that the current scenario is however, much

gloomier because of stagnating water availability. The very
sustainability of agriculture appears to be jeopardized due to escalating
water demand, limited water resources and environmental concerns.
The solution of prevailing water scarcity requires national consensus
over proposed projects and their implementation in letter and spirit.
The politicians should stop meddling in the construction of new
reservoir in greater interest of the country and its inhabitants as it is
being done in other societies.

Pakistan is currently facing an acute water shortage that is likely to

wreck havoc in the country in the coming years. Recently, the Indus
River System Authority (IRSA) highlighted a grave water shortagein
the Indus Basin irrigation system (IBIS), the world’s largest contiguous
irrigation system, for the summer cropping season. The timing of the
crisis is critical and had delayed the sowing of the country’s main cash
crops, including cotton. Experts believe the authorities were aware of
the approaching acute water shortage because of shortages during the
winter cropping season.

In Pakistan, the signs of water stress are ubiquitous in the form of water
scarcity, resource depletion, and contamination. The catastrophe
implicates the country’s incompetent leadership, and its inept
administration and poor management of available natural water
resources. This has made Pakistan vulnerable to long drought spells and
extreme floods. The climate change-led water crisis not only poses a
threat to the summer cropping season but has also adversely affected
the generation of hydroelectricity.

Such a crisis is inevitable in a country where political leaders are busy

slinging mud at each other in a lust for power while lacking vision.
These leaders also oppose the construction of new infrastructure for
storing water. The fact that the word “dam” has been made highly
controversial and that its use often spurs heated discussions between
the constituent provinces aptly highlights Pakistan’s predicament.

Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a
month.

Pakistan is running out of fresh water at an alarming rate, and

authorities anticipate that it is likely to suffer a shortage of 31 million
acre-feet (MAF) of water by 2025. The shortfall will be devastating for a
country with an agriculture-based economy. Nearly 70 percent of the
Pakistan’s population is directly or indirectly associated with
agriculture, which accounts for 26 percent of its gross domestic product
(GDP).

Farmers are likely to feel the pinch in the form of in-season water
shortages, which in turn, will affect their crop growth and delay
harvesting, resulting in reduced production.

In Pakistan, the majority of agricultural land is irrigated, after

accounting for ground and rainwater, with fresh water from the IBIS.
The IBIS is fed through two major dams including Tarbela and
Mangla, which since construction, have lost storage capacity due to
enormous silt deposition. Both reservoirs are already hitting a dead
level and are unlikely to carry forward the required flow for the summer
crops.

The anticipated water flow in the IBIS for this summer season is 95
MAF against a 112 MAF average of past 10 years. Moreover, both
reservoirs can only store up to 14 MAF of the 145 MAF that annually
flows through the country.

Pakistan is storing less water among the available surface flows due to
lack of significant storage. And given the severely irregular water
availability in rivers, the lack of adequate storage at all levels makes it
practically impossible to stock the priceless resource
reasonably. However, the country receives a significant amount of water
from the monsoon spells that, if stored properly, could provide with a
sustainable irrigation system.

River flow did not improve during a brief rain spell in the early
summer, and the temperature also did not rise enough in the northern
areas of the country to enable the melting of snow. The country received
50 percent less snow this year than its long-term average in the
catchment areas, which further adds to the catastrophe.

Due to fewer water releases from the dams, farmers largely depend on
groundwater. This puts extra pressure on the aquifers. The majority of
agricultural production depends on underground water, which is not
efficiently utilized causing the water table to plummet at an alarming
rate.

Farming and urban communities pump far more amounts of

groundwater than is replenished naturally into the aquifers. With nearly
3 to 4 MAF shortfall of groundwater discharge annually, the aquifers
are receding at an alarming rate. Moreover, a 2015 NASA-led
study confirmed that the Indus Basin aquifer is among the most
overstressed and rapidly depleting systems in the world. Rainwater
harvesting and partially treated sewage creeks for groundwater
recharge are two available solutions, but the country is far from
adopting these on a large scale.

Furthermore, the farming community is wasting a tremendous amount

of fresh water by using outdated flood irrigation methods. About 95
percent of fresh water is utilized for irrigation, and yet the country
is achieving a lower per acre crop production when compared to India
and China in the region.

Exponential population growth in Pakistan has also dramatically

changed the calculus of water demand, resulting in a reduced water
availability per capita. Populated cities like Karachi lack sound water
management and are already facing a Cape Town-like “day zero
situation.”

Amid election season in Pakistan, the water crisis has already

contributed to the politically charged atmosphere, attracting massive
public attention. The issue will undoubtedly influence the rural
electorate.

The water crisis is the writing on the wall and not hogwash. The
snowcapped mountain ranges of the country, the primary freshwater
source, are not infinite. The political leadership still has time to give
attention to this pending catastrophe and include it in their mandates
for the upcoming polls.

Recently, a large social media campaign was launched with the

objective of pushing the incoming government into building
the Kalabagh dam, a politically disputed project. Undoubtedly,
infrastructure is often popular and likely necessary, but such uncertain
mega projects are a waste of time and resources and cannot instantly
address the present-day water issue.

The most crucial next step should be to build new reservoirs at all scales
to store the monsoon surplus and reduce downstream flood peaks. The
principle that every drop stored is a drop saved can help to keep the
river delta alive and can also solve many problems stemming from
water scarcity. Given the country’s impending water shortage, new
reservoirs are equally vital to meet the requirement of agriculture, rapid
urbanization, population growth, food insecurity and growing water
demand of the industry.

The recently approved national water policy must be implemented both

in letter and in spirit for efficient water resource management.
Furthermore, commissions must be set up to monitor the efficient
water resource management at all levels frequently and to offer timely
recommendations.

Given the limited capacity of state institutions to manage the water

sector and because repeated attempts and investments to fix existing
infrastructure have failed, the country must think outside the box.
Innovation, particularly the participation of the private sector, could be
key in managing water resources efficiently. De-bundling services and
encouraging the private sector to manage water resources can be an
excellent initiative to address current issues. The Agriculture
department ought to keep urging and facilitating farmers in shifting
their focus to modern and efficient irrigation technologies in lieu of
outdated flooding methods.

Pakistan needs to learn from countries with even less water but higher
domestic product (GDP) and better quality of life indicators such as
Israel, a country right in the middle of a desert that has been able to
reuse effluent to irrigate about 40 percent of its agricultural land with
sound political will, economic resources and by employing the right
technology.

It’s a challenge for the state to save water not only for agriculture but
also for human consumption and to meet the rising water demand in
other social and economic sectors. This demands improved water
governance, management and investment in scientific knowledge, all of
which entail commitment and resources. It’s time for decisive action.