A water policy

Multiple reports have confirmed that Pakistan is in an increasingly precarious situation in terms of water resources. And, while it has taken too long, finally the cabinet and four provincial governments last week approved a National Water Policy. The consensus document is a positive step towards water security. However, fears remain that it will remain another piece of paper to be kept on bureaucratic shelves. The policy itself has a range of features, including water allocation, protection of the Indus Water Basin, the impact of climate change, ground water and conservation. But in real terms, it sets few targets for what should be achieved. The 41-page document remains vague over how water security will be achieved in the country — perhaps explaining why it was possible to achieve a consensus over the document. No new institutions have been created and no new ways have been suggested on how to improve the water security situation. Much of it seems to be worded in technocratic speech; saying everything, but saying nothing at all. Much of the solutions on offer are technical; but there is little serious criticism of the policies that have brought Pakistan to the brink of water scarcity.

The irony of Pakistan being a country which faces water scarcity as well as a country that faces serious flooding every year should not be forgotten. Much of this is due to the failing water storage infrastructure of dams and barrages, which are fast losing their storage capacity due to siltation. With climate change changing rain patterns, this produces a situation where the ability to store and distribute water when needed has been severely hampered. One must wonder if the policy offers solutions for Sindhi farmers who continue to suffer crippling water shortages when they need water. Or whether it offers solutions to the residents of Gwadar who face water shortages for over half the year, And what will be done about protecting groundwater in a context where the installations of tens of thousands of tube wells was actively encouraged by state policies in the 1960s? The provinces of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan all suffer from serious depletion of ground water resources. Much of these crises have been in the pipeline for decades — with nothing done to address them. One must wonder whether there is any significant change that can seriously address the crippling water security. Surely a growing population means rationing the limited water resources the country has in a more effective way. This involves changing water consumption patterns and water wastage. Can the country still rely on water-intensive crops, such as sugarcane and rice, and water-intensive industrial processes, such as coal mining, if it is facing water security? These are the kinds of serious questions that will need to be addressed if we are to achieve water security soon.