Running out of water

Environment experts have argued that the threat of water scarcity is at par with the threat of terrorism. These experts fear that Pakistan could ‘run dry’ by 2025 if it doesn’t take effective action in a timely manner – as its water shortage is reaching alarming levels. However, this issue has seldom been discussed in the national and international media or by policymakers. This is not the first time that development and research organisations have alerted Pakistani authorities about an impending crisis. The country has yet to adopt any suitable policy framework to tackle this issue. Pakistan has the world’s fourth highest rate of water use. This suggests that no country’s economy is more water-intensive than Pakistan’s. In addition, population growth and rapid urbanisation are also some of the main reasons for the crisis. The issue has also been exacerbated by climate change, poor water management and the sheer lack of political will to deal with the crisis. But the authorities will seldom take any action. The water crisis doesn’t seem to be a priority for either the caretaker government or t political parties contesting the elections.

Samreen Bhutto

Sukkur