A country without water

Pakistan is one of the most water-stressed countries in the world. The situation here is going towards the worst in water scarcity, which needs to be addressed through policy mechanism with participation of all shareholders. Recently, Sindh Agriculture University held a seminar to discuss water issues in the country. The speakers emphasised the importance of water governance and said that the country is dependent on the River Indus, which is the backbone of the entire agriculture. The river not only feeds the irrigation canals and sources, but contributes to maintain wider ecosystems, wetlands and overall environment.

The dependence on a single river system means that the country has little of the strength to manage its water resources as compare to other countries that have more than one river basins and diversity of water resources. In view of the above, there is a need for a collective approach to engage policymakers to come up with a rational and responsible use of water.

Khan Faraz

Peshawar