Pakistan third-largest groundwater extractor

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, the world’s third-largest extractor of underground water, accounts for 9 percent of global groundwater, a parliamentary committee was informed Monday.

This high level of groundwater extraction rate has raised alarms in the Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources on Monday chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan. The panel received a briefing from the Ministry of Water Resources.

The high extraction rate has caused a significant imbalance, with the country’s groundwater recharge failing to keep up with the extraction. Additionally, one-third of Pakistan’s natural water resources are reportedly wasted as they flow into the sea.

Dr Hifza Rasheed, Director General of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), addressed groundwater depletion and the government’s efforts to tackle the issue.

PCRWR is a government agency focused on research and development in water resources, including issues related to groundwater, surface water, and water management. During the meeting, the committee discussed groundwater data discrepancies. It was reported that in Punjab, the water table depth varies from 5 to 140 feet. However, Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources Syed Ali Murtaza disputed these figures, leading to tension with Chairman Awan. Awan expressed frustration over the inaccurate data, questioning how the committee could progress with such discrepancies.

The Chairman also voiced concerns about flawed data concerning the water table depth in Islamabad and queried the accuracy of data for Punjab and Sindh. Murtaza attributed inaccuracies to malfunctioning piezometers and misreporting by the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA). Piezometers are instruments used to measure groundwater pressure and monitor water table levels.

Senator Muhammad Humayun Mohmand inquired about the responsibility for piezometer installation and maintenance, which falls to provincial irrigation departments. The Secretary noted that accurate data could not be provided until additional piezometers are installed.

The Chairman criticized the Ministry’s data and adjourned the meeting, directing an internal review of the data collection process. The Ministry was instructed to reassess its data with relevant departments and present corrected information at the next meeting. The meeting was attended by Senators Muhammad Humayun Mohmand, Poonjo Bheel, and other senior officials from related departments.