According to reports, more than 44 countries will face extreme water scarcity by 2040 and nearly seven billion people will be thirsty by 2050. Pakistan’s water crisis is being caused mainly by rapid population growth, climate change, poor water management in the agricultural sector, inefficient infrastructure and water pollution. The growing scarcity of water is also aggravating internal tensions between the provinces.
The situation is more alarming than most of us would believe. Within three years, Pakistan’s water shortage is expected to rise to 35 per cent of demand, landing us firmly in the category of countries with absolute water-scarcity. By that point, those among us who are used to paying their way out of the crisis and meeting their drinking water needs via filtered water cans will no longer be able to shield ourselves from the crisis. We must immediately adopt better water management and efficiency practices at both the industrial and residential-consumer levels. Failure to do so will mean waking up one morning and finding that our taps have run dry and our tanks are empty, with no water to quench our thirst.
Eman Mudassar Tarar
Sargodha
