Pakistan’s Looming Water Crisis:
Addressing Scarcity and Climate-Induced Threats in 2024. Water scarcity has long been a critical issue in Pakistan. In 2024, it has escalated into a full-blown crisis. The country’s growing population, inefficient water management practices, and climate change have made the situation more urgent than ever. This blog explores the key drivers of Pakistan’s water crisis and the steps needed to address them.
Key Drivers of Water Scarcity in Pakistan
Population Growth and Urbanization:
Pakistan’s population surpassed 240 million in 2024, placing immense pressure on water resources. Urban centers like Karachi and Lahore are struggling to meet rising water demands. Inefficient water distribution systems exacerbate the situation. Over-reliance on groundwater extraction, particularly in urban areas, has led to a depletion of aquifers.
In recent years, groundwater levels in Pakistan have declined significantly, particularly in regions like Punjab, which relies heavily on groundwater for irrigation. Over 90% of the groundwater in Pakistan is extracted for agricultural use, and the overall withdrawal has reached approximately 60 billion cubic meters annually.
In Islamabad, the average groundwater depletion rate stands at around 1 meter per year, and the situation is compounded by urban expansion and reduced natural groundwater recharge. While efforts like groundwater recharge wells have shown some success in slowing depletion, the scale of the problem across the country remains large, and more extensive solutions are required.
Agricultural Water Use:
Agriculture consumes approximately 90% of Pakistan’s water supply. Outdated irrigation methods, such as flood irrigation, lead to inefficient water usage and wastage. Additionally, the cultivation of water-intensive crops like rice and sugarcane, particularly in water-scarce regions, further strains the country’s limited water resources.
In Punjab, more than 50% of irrigated areas have seen groundwater levels fall below 6 meters, leading to increased pumping costs and declining water quality. This over-extraction has also contributed to soil salinity issues affecting 21% of irrigated land.
Climate Change:
Climate change has significantly intensified Pakistan’s water-related challenges, exacerbating issues such as water scarcity, floods, and glacial melting. Rising temperatures are accelerating the melting of glaciers in the Himalayas and Hindu Kush, which supply water to major rivers like the Indus. This has led to erratic river flows, with periods of intense flooding followed by reduced water availability during dry seasons. Pakistan’s reliance on these rivers for agriculture, drinking water, and energy production means that climate change is directly threatening the country’s water security.
Additionally, changing precipitation patterns have made rainfall more unpredictable, worsening droughts and putting more pressure on groundwater resources, which are already over-extracted. This has intensified the looming water crisis, especially in regions like Punjab and Sindh, where agriculture depends heavily on irrigation.
The rising frequency of extreme weather events linked to climate change, such as floods, can overwhelm the country’s water infrastructure, displacing communities and damaging farmland, while long-term droughts deplete vital resources. Without better water management and climate resilience strategies, these challenges are likely to become even more severe
Trans-boundary Water Disputes:
Pakistan’s water security is also influenced by transboundary water dynamics, particularly with India under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)1964. Ongoing political tensions and India’s construction of dams upstream have raised concerns in Pakistan about reduced water flow. Any disruption to the water supply in the Indus Basin, which provides water to nearly 80% of the country, could be disastrous for Pakistan’s agricultural sector and overall water availability.
Climate-Induced Threats
a) Glacial Melting and Flooding: Pakistan houses some of the largest glaciers outside the polar regions. With rising global temperatures, glaciers in the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush are retreating faster than expected. This initially leads to more water flow in rivers, causing floods, but long-term projections suggest that the loss of glaciers could drastically reduce the country’s water supply.
Fifteen million people worldwide are at risk of glacial-lake flooding, with 2 million of them in Pakistan, according to a February study published in the scientific journal Nature Communications. From 2018 to 2021, about 14 GLOFs occurred in Pakistan, but that spiked to 75 in 2022, according to the UNDP.
Rising Temperatures and Water Evaporation:
Rising temperatures due to climate change have a direct impact on water evaporation rates, worsening water scarcity in regions like Pakistan. As temperatures increase, more water is lost through evaporation from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and soil, reducing the overall availability of freshwater. This process is especially critical in Pakistan, where much of the water supply comes from surface water bodies and irrigation systems. Higher evaporation rates mean that less water is available for agricultural use, which is already under strain due to over-extraction of groundwater and inefficient irrigation practices.
Additionally, in regions where agriculture relies on open water channels and irrigation, higher evaporation rates lead to significant water loss before it can be utilized by crops. Another point to be noted is the irrigation is also flooding the crop.This not only affects food production but also forces farmers to rely more heavily on groundwater, further depleting already scarce reserves.
The combined effects of higher temperatures and increased evaporation contribute to the declining availability of water, amplifying the risks of droughts and exacerbating the challenges of managing water resources effectively. Increased temperatures, particularly in arid regions like Sindh and Balochistan, are leading to higher water evaporation rates, reducing the availability of surface water. Additionally, extended periods of drought threaten Pakistan’s ability to meet agricultural demands.
Decreasing Rainfall:
In 2024, Pakistan experienced lower-than-average monsoon rains, exacerbating the crisis. Reduced rainfall, coupled with a growing water demand, is contributing to severe water shortages, particularly in southern regions. This has affected the availability of drinking water and has also severely impacted crop production.
Solutions to Address Pakistan’s Water Crisis
a. Water Governance and Policy Reforms:
Pakistan’s water crisis is as much a governance issue as it is a natural resource issue. Effective water governance reforms are needed, including better coordination between provincial and federal governments. Strengthening institutions like the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) is essential for improving water infrastructure and distribution systems.
b. Investment in Water-Saving Technologies:
Introducing drip irrigation and sprinkler systems could significantly reduce water waste in agriculture. These technologies deliver water directly to plant roots, reducing evaporation and runoff. Investments in rainwater harvesting systems could also help replenish groundwater and provide alternative water sources in drought-prone areas.
c. Renewable Energy and Desalination Plants:
With renewable energy advancements, Pakistan could explore large-scale desalination projects to address the needs of water-scarce coastal regions. Solar-powered desalination plants could provide a sustainable solution to urban water shortages in cities like Karachi.
d. Awareness and Community Involvement:
Public awareness campaigns focused on water conservation and sustainable water use practices need to be expanded. Empowering local communities to take part in water management, through training programs and incentivized conservation efforts, could lead to more sustainable water use at the grassroots level.
e. Regional Cooperation:
Pakistan must actively engage in dialogue with neighboring countries, particularly India, to ensure water-sharing agreements are respected. Strengthening the implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is vital to prevent any future conflicts over water resources.
f. Climate Adaptation Strategies:
Pakistan needs to implement climate adaptation strategies that address the specific risks posed by climate change. These include strengthening flood defenses, improving water storage infrastructure, and developing early warning systems for extreme weather events. Enhanced collaboration with international organizations like the World Bank and UNDP can provide the technical and financial support needed for these efforts.
4. Conclusion :
As Pakistan confronts one of its most pressing crises in 2024, addressing water scarcity requires a multi-faceted approach that involves policy reform, technological innovation, and regional cooperation. Without immediate action, the country’s water crisis will only intensify, leading to widespread socio-economic disruptions. Investing in water governance, sustainable agricultural practices, and climate adaptation strategies is essential for securing Pakistan’s water future and ensuring resilience against the mounting threat posed by climate change.
