Pakistan on Brink of Immense Water Disaster

The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has warned that the country may run dry by 2025 if the authorities didn’t take an immediate action.

According to a yet-to-be-released report, parts of which have been made available to the media, Pakistan touched the “water stress line” in 1990 and crossed the “water scarcity line” in 2005.

If this situation persists, Pakistan is likely to face acute water shortage or drought-like situation in the near future. PCRWR is affiliated with Ministry of Science and Technology.

The association says there is a critical need to do explore at different levels to discover an answer for the emergency.

“Lamentably, the PCRWR has no assets to guarantee supportable research,” said a service official. Islamabad-based Irfan Chowdhry affirms the report’s discoveries and says that Pakistan is very near to an immense disaster.

Pakistan has the world’s fourth most elevated rate of water utilisation. Its water force rate – the measure of water, in cubic meters, utilised per unit of GDP – is the world’s highest. This proposes no nation’s economy is more water-serious than Pakistan’s.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan is already the third most water-stressed country in the world. Its per capita annual water availability is 1,017 cubic meters – perilously close to the scarcity threshold of 1,000 cubic meters. Back in 2009, Pakistan’s water availability was about 1,500 cubic meters.

Experts say that population growth and urbanisation are the main reasons behind the crisis. The issue has also been exacerbated by climate change, poor water management, and a lack of political will to deal with the crisis.

Source: Pakistan Observer

Media

Taxonomy

• Water Scarcity
• Resource Management
• Water Access
• Governance & Policy
• Drought
• Water Supply
• Water Management

3 Comments

1. Sometimes we can't see the warnings that are being sent, and we trust in God/Allah to provide, as is the case in many devout countries, instead of taking action before it's too late.

   Let me tell you a fictional story….  There was a rising flood in a community and the residents were warned by the local authorities to evacuate. One devout resident spoke for his family and said…No…God will protect us and he will provide help in time of need!

   When the rains came and the flood waters rose the streets were flooded and there was no way to get out on the roadways. A neighbor came by in a large tractor that had a number of people riding on it and said, the water is going to rise higher, jump on we’ll take you to safety. The devout resident said…No… God will protect us and he will provide help in time of need!

   When the water was up past the first floor windows, the devout resident went to the top floor of the house and looked out the window. The local search and rescue team came by in a rowboat and said, the water is going to rise higher, jump on we’ll take you to safety. The devout resident said… No…God will protect us and he will provide help in time of need!

   When the water rose to cover the top floor, the devout resident climbed onto the roof.  Then the military came by in a large rescue boat and said, the water is going to rise higher, jump on we’ll take you to safety. The devout resident said… No…God will protect us and he will provide help in time of need!

   When the water was up to his knees while standing on his roof, a helicopter came by with a rescue sling dangling below it. The pilot shouted through a loud speaker….jump on and we’ll take you to safety. The devout resident said… No…God will protect us and he will provide help in time of need!

   Shortly the devout resident and his family drowned and when he got to heaven, he asked God…why did you not provide for us, and my whole family died?

   God said, I sent you a warning, and you didn’t listen! I sent you a tractor and you didn’t listen, and a row boat and a larger boat and a helicopter and you would not hear the warnings or take action to save yourself…so you had to bear the consequences!

   At what stage is Pakistan and many parts of the world in this story, in regards to the impacts of climate change, and our irresponsible overuse of fresh water? 

   1 Comment reply

   1. U described the whole situation very well" ALLAH does all but sends us warning too so that we may plan our safety well ahead.

2. Pakistan should build dams to store water during flood situation. In my opine We as a Muslim trust at Allah SWT He will definite make our way easy but at least  we have to show our will and do what we can do our selves then leave everything at our Creater.

    

3. If climate change melts the Himalayan glaciers, then no more Indus or Pakistan! This model is simplistic but as the ice melts there will be uncontrolled flooding interspersed with megadroughts. Situation ripe for "water wars' with India & China. Some kind of regional water planning needed.