Pakistan could face mass droughts due to absolute scarcity water level by 2025.
This has been forecast by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), a British newspaper reported on Saturday.
Water experts warned that the South Asian country would face absolute scarcity water level after eight years (2025).
An official stressed the need of conducting a research on an urgent basis to find a solution to the serious possible water crisis, saying the government lacks sufficient funds for the same.
With rainfall steadily declining and the only source of water for the country being the Indus River basin in India, the world’s fourth highest water consumer is likely to be faced with a huge challenge in the near future.
Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, is home to an estimated two million people. A majority of the city’s residents do not have access to running water after the land has gradually dried up, forcing many residents to queue for hours for supplies to be given to them.
Former chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority in the country, Shamsul Mulk said water policy is ‘simply non-existent in Pakistan.’ Policymakers act like ‘absentee landlords’ over water, he said.
“Because of this absentee landlordism, water has become the property of the landlords and the poor are deprived of their share.”
According to experts, a rapidly growing population and urbanization are the main reasons behind the crisis. Climate change and poor water management have exacerbated the issue.
Energy sector expert Irfan Choudhry said the authorities appear to lack the political will to tackle the problem.
“There are no proper water storage facilities in the country. Pakistan hasn’t built new dams since the 1960s. What we see is political bickering over the issue. The authorities need to act now. We can store water for only 30 days, and it is worrisome,” Choudhry told local media.
Some politicians believe “massive corruption” in the water sector has worsened the issue, with some seeking to profiteer from the scarcity of a vital resource.
A recent report disclosed that 90 per cent of drinking water samples collected from Karachi are unfit for human consumption and a significant portion is tainted with human waste.
Human waste was found in 33pc of water samples collected from Karachi, according to the report.
