Pakistan is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, with an average per capita annual water availability of less than 1,000 cubic meters. The country is transitioning from water-stressed to water-scarce status, driven by population growth, industrial expansion, inefficient irrigation, unsustainable groundwater use, inadequate storage, low water productivity, and very poor management efficiency.
The federal government needs to invest to the maximum extent in modernising irrigation systems across the country, such as adapting drip irrigation, which uses water more efficiently. Additionally, improving the maintenance and management of canal systems is also crucial. Public awareness campaigns on water conservation and the efficient use of water in both the agricultural and domestic sectors can help in mitigating water scarcity.
Building new dams and reservoirs, such as the Diamer Bhasha Dam, is also critical for improving the country’s water storage capacity. Such projects will help in storing water during the monsoon season and releasing it during periods of drought.
Public awareness campaigns on water conservation and the efficient use of water in both the agricultural and domestic sectors can help in mitigating water scarcity.
Water is a critical natural resource for Pakistan, especially given its population of more than 240 million. Meeting the growing demand for water, ensuring its availability, effective management, and sustainability pose significant challenges for the federal and provincial governments. Water is important to agriculture, industry, and domestic consumption. Its scarcity poses serious risks to economic growth and social well-being across the country, especially to the people living in the least developed areas, where water is in short supply and the land suffers from persistent problems of waterlogging and salinity. The River Indus is Pakistan’s main source of surface water. It flows from the northern part through the country’s length towards the southern region. Several tributaries, including the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers, provide about 90 per cent of the country’s water supply for agricultural and domestic use.
Pakistan’s surface irrigation, recognised as the world’s largest contiguous irrigated network, features only three storage reservoirs with a live storage capacity of just 13 million acre-feet (MAF), along with 19 barrages, 12 inter-river link canals, 2 siphons, and 44 canal commands. The extensive network of main canals and distributaries spans about 64,000 kilometres, complemented by an additional 162,100 kilometres of watercourses, according to official data.
Groundwater is also a vital source, especially in areas with limited or seasonal water. Pakistan has an extensive network of wells and tubewells, especially in the arid regions of Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab. Groundwater in Sindh is meagre, as most aquifers are brackish. Groundwater extraction is crucial for irrigation in many parts of the country, though it is being used at unsustainable rates. Groundwater contributes 60 per cent of the total water supply.
Furthermore, rainfall patterns vary significantly across Pakistan. The monsoon season typically brings heavy rainfall, especially to the eastern and northern regions. However, rainfall is highly erratic and often does not align with demand cycles for water, leading to alternating periods of drought and floods.
Under the National Water Policy (2018), the following main targets were fixed for 12 years, i.e., 2018-2030:
* 33 per cent reduction (15.24 MAF) in the 46 MAF river flows lost in conveyance through watercourse lining.
* Enhancement of live storage capacity by 10 MAF.
* 30 per cent increase in water use efficiency through modern irrigation techniques. By increasing water use efficiency by 30 per cent, irrigation efficiency will rise from 39 per cent to 50.7 per cent, resulting in greater agricultural production and food security.
* Refurbishment of irrigation infrastructure, real-time monitoring of water distributaries for transparent accounting, and development of a unified database for reliable water resources assessment.
It is quite appreciable that despite his heavy engagements at the national as well as international levels, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif finds time to look into the country’s agricultural and irrigation problems. He has stressed acceleration in the construction of the two under-construction water storage facilities – Diamer Bhasha Dam and Mohmand Dam – and reviewed the implementation of the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Emergency Programme aimed at increasing the command area in Pakistan. But much more needs to be done in this regard, with maximum possible resources, as time is running out fast.
The writer is a Lahore-based freelance journalist, columnist and retired Deputy Controller (News), Radio Pakistan, Islamabad, and can be reached at [zahidriffat@gmail. com](mailto:[email protected])