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Water Crisis in Pakistan

International relations (University of Peshawar)

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Water Crisis in Pakistan, ills and remedies

Outline:
1. Introduction
2. Pakistan’s water profile
3. Causes pertaining to water scarcity in Pakistan
a) International causes
i. Redcliff awarded without due consideration on water distribution
ii. Violation of Indus Water Treaty by India
b) National causes
i. Lack of water management policy
ii. Lack of dams and efficient irrigation system
iii. Waste of water with insignificance among public
iv. Challenges of Indus basin irrigation system of Pakistan
v. Interprovincial disharmony on water sharing
c) Environmental causes
i. Global warming and Pakistan
4. Impacts of looming water crisis
i. Threat of war between Pakistan and India on water
ii. Devastation of agriculture
iii. Economic repercussions
iv. Agitation of the masses due to lack of water
5. Remedies to the water woes
i. Pakistan should pressure World Bank to urge India to follow IWT in letter and
spirit
ii. Water policy
iii. Building public and political consensus on water
iv. Construction of dams and reservoirs
v. Introducing effective water management and conservation, following the
example of Israel
vi. Curbing water contamination by industries and sewage, rendering water
unusable
vii. Addressing Global warming concerns, promoting afforestation and reducing
GHG emission
viii. Checking irregularities in governance and water theft
6. Conclusion

Water scarcity is the lack of fresh water resources to meet water demand of an area. It has
been listed in the 2015 report of World Economic Forum as the largest global risk in terms of
potential impact over the next decade. Around 2 billion people (One-third of the global
population) live under conditions of severe water scarcity. Water is a very important
commodity for life on earth still a very scarce and rare in Pakistan. Pakistan is likely to face
physical(absolute) and economic water scarcity in near future as illustrated by the United
Nations and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) in recent years. The
ever increasing population, improving living standards, unfriendly consumption patterns,
expansion of irrigated agriculture and lack of water management are the main reasons

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behind the water woes of Pakistan. Climate change, such as altered weather patterns
(including droughts and heavy floods), deforestation, greenhouse gases (GHS) and wasteful
use of water are the main causes of Pakistan’s strained position, being one of the most
affected by global warming. Pakistan is in a situation where scarcity having arrived, there’s
only so much that can be done. Indeed, the what-should-be-done question has become can-
anything-be-done question. Another question here strikes, is Pakistan efficiently using the
resources it has? Is it planning for the long term policies to tackle the global warming issues,
of which Pakistan is the most affected. Is there any political consensus on the issue?
Pakistan is not new to this issue. According to a 2007 report by South Asian scholar Anatol
Lieven he had warned that water shortage pose “the greatest threat to the viability of
Pakistan as a state and a society”. At that time it just seemed as hyperbolic. But now as it
has become a reality, a very bad one in the face of some 207 million population. This is a
very real threat that needs to be properly addressed.

Pakistan is one of the only few countries whose water resources entirely depend on one
river system – the Indus Basin. Monsoon and westerly disturbances are the main weather
systems that contribute to the rainfall in Pakistan. Most of the rain is received during
summer (Kharif) and the rest in winter (Rabi). The Upper Indus catchment contains some of
the largest glaciers of the world outside the Polar regions. Glaciers and snowmelt contribute
to around 85 percent in Indus river system. Groundwater a readily available resource of
water is playing an increasingly important role supplying around 45 percent of crop water
requirements in the country. The severe stress on the water resources are the repercussions
of unfriendly behaviors of men resulting in water crisis.

The Radcliffe award which demarcated the line dividing the two new sovereign nations cut
right through the Indus basin with five rivers flowing from India into Pakistan. Splitting the
established irrigation system between the two countries without specifying how the waters
were to be divided. India was left with the control of the waters supplying Pakistan’s
irrigation canals. Which resulted in the abrupt closure of water supply to Pakistan by India in
1948, causing water crisis in the lower riparian Pakistan. Forcing Pakistan to sign Inter-
Dominion Agreement with India, which served as the basis of later bi-lateral cooperation
with regard to access to water resources in the region.

The Indus Waters Treaty 1960, brokered by the World Bank as a result of eight years of
negotiations, a water distribution treaty between India and Pakistan. The arrangement
divided the control of the five tributaries and Indus itself, giving India control over the
eastern rivers – the Beas, the Ravi and the Sutlej, while control over the three western rivers
– the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum to Pakistan. While the treaty is a successful
settlement of trans-boundary water basin conflict, India has been violating the treaty as
being the upper riparian, building dams and diversions on the river flows like Wullar
Barrage, Ratla, Kishenganga, Pikkal Dams. Obstructing and lowering the water flows into
Pakistan. Violating different clauses of the Indus Water Treaty causing water crisis in
Pakistan, making the management of water resources more difficult for the administration
of Pakistan.

Water management policy is the very lacking reason for the deteriorating water conditions.
In the annual report of “The State of Economy: Agriculture and Water”, 2017, Shahid Javed

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Burki Institute of Public Policy explains how water management issues have impacted the
water woes. Reporting five major challenges for Pakistan on the supply side: greater scarcity
resulting from higher demand and the diminishing capacity of reservoirs, excessive (nearly
60 percent) conveyance losses, deteriorating infrastructure, high operation costs, and an
excessive ground water use. All factors combined with the frivolousness of the masses,
impact the ever growing concern of water scarcity in the country.

Water is not scarce but is used inefficiently and inappropriately, with more resources
squandered than used. Masses lack the sensibility to use water efficiently and save when
not using or needed. The water entering our system has not changed for the past decade
but the population explosion has worsened the need for the resource, the lifestyle change,
and the industrialization has put more pressure on the already scarce water. Similarly the
irrigation sector has a very major impact on water scarcity in Pakistan.
It is becoming increasingly clear that almost every contemporary issue in the Indus basin are
directly or indirectly linked to inefficient irrigation, be it delta erosion, environmental
degradation, soil degradation, water shortages, human health, exacerbated floods, low
agriculture productivity, pollution of aquifers, or the water-sharing issue. If agriculture
demand which is over 80 percent of all water usage in Pakistan, could be cut to one-tenth of
what it is, the water problem is over. Using technology and know-how for effective water
husbandry farmers can cut their demand for water by 40-90 percent. Cutting the way,
farmers in different regions dispute on the water needs.

The Water Apportionment Accord signed between the provinces in 1991 was aimed at
putting an end to inter-provincial squabbling. Indus River System Authority (IRSA) was
developed to implement the accord. The accord’s clauses and terminologies are ambiguous
and have been prone to different interpretations by the provinces. Also the discrepancies in
water discharges and their measurement at key inter-provincial distribution sites. Sindh has
complained about incorrect measurements between the Chashma and Taunsa barrages and
Taunsa and Guddu barrages. Balochistan has charged that Sindh is not allowing it to have its
full share of water in accordance with the agreement. Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab have
similar complaints against KP. The disputes involving all the four provinces can lead to a
serious discord if not resolved at the earliest. Consequently, the environmental
impediments are kicking in aggravating the water crisis even more.

Global warming comes at top of all the woes men have to face. For each degree of global
warming, about seven percent of the world’s population – half-a-billion people – will have
20 per cent less freshwater, the UN’s climate science panel has concluded. Glaciers in
Himalayas and Hindukush are rapidly depleting, global warming alters wind and humidity, in
turn affecting the rainfall pattern. By 2030, the world will face a 40-per cent water deficit if
climate change continues unchecked. While the global demand of water is projected to
increase 55 percent by mid-century. We have a real example even before the climate
change really kicked in – as predicted – the “Day Zero” condition in Cape Town with record
breaking three-year drought that turned the taps dry. The very real threat is dangling upon
South East Asia where water crisis is so predicted to aggravate the matters between states.

Since 2015, the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Risk Report has consistently ranked
“water crises” as among the global threats with the greatest potential impact – above

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natural disasters, mass migration and cyberattacks. The Indus Waters Treaty brokered by
the mediation of World Bank after the abrupt blockade of water from India(higher riparian)
to Pakistan in 1948, which started the water brawls between the two countries. Although
the IWT has been exemplary over the decades for its ability to withstand the political,
military and diplomatic ebbs and crashes. Revoking the IWT by the India can very well place
the two nations in confronting fronts with not just the traditional war but a looming nuclear
war, putting regional peace at stake. Pakistan’s storage capacity is limited to only 30-day
supply, well below the recommended 1000 days for countries with a similar climate. This
puts indispensable reliance on the Indus waters leave very few options for Pakistan should
India restrict flows. Significantly, causing distress and pressure on the agriculture industry of
Pakistan.

Pakistan being an agrarian country is more dependent on agriculture. Scarce water supply is
damaging and hindering the agricultural capacity of the country to a very deteriorating
levels, obstructing the ability of the sector to feed the ever growing population and making
farmers life more difficult who are dependent solely on the outcome from the soil.
Agriculture, domestic and industrial sectors are competing for the worsening water
resources. The cotton, wheat, rice etc. are the main exports of Pakistan contributing
significant share in the country’s GDP. The reduced outcome from the agriculture sector is
adversely affecting the export sector of Pakistan. The paucity of water is causing economic
repercussions on the agrarian nation.

Water is the main driving force of the Pakistani economy. Hydel generation capacity is
marred with the shortage of water, stifling the economic growth. Water policy is lacking on
the substantial use of water, urgently needing a shift from current conventional use to
conservative use of the resource. The International Monetary Fund has stated that 60
percent of farm-gate-delivered water in Punjab comes from tube wells, it remains largely
untaxed with only 0.1 percent of tax from the agricultural sector. The contribution of the
agriculture to the GDP is around 21 percent which is mired with the deficiencies and paucity
of the water to grow sufficient crops to serve the ever growing population and contribute in
the export sector. Water crisis has put severe pressure on already stressed economy of the
country in fulfilling its needed revenue. Resultantly, distressing the farmers, industries and
household’s to survive with meager share of the water.

The severity of the shortage on both ends i.e. the clean water availability and the electricity,
both have made difficult the survival of the masses. Masses are often seen in angry protests
and riots to shove off there agitation with the in competencies of the governing elite to take
fitting measures. The political dysfunction and procrastination has put the country on the
brink of instability, where masses are unable to keep themselves buoyant with the
disappearing water resources. Strong and directed measures are needed to avert the
looming water crisis.

India should be urged on every bilateral and multilateral international platform to comply
with the IWT and should refrain from obstructing and diverting water resources of the three
rivers allocated to Pakistan.
National water policy should be based upon two essential elements
 Water management

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 Water development
The public and political consensus for the construction of dams and water policy structuring.
Educating the masses and creating a national slogan to spread awareness about water
among the people i.e. “Conserve water, conserve life”.
Construction of dams and reservoirs is of dire importance due to the fact Pakistan has only
30 day storage capacity of water. Big dams like Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand dams etc.
with needed small dams serving for the local community irrigation and sanitation purposes.
We can follow “the Israel model” which has been quoted as exemplary in the water
management policy. The efficiency of the model lies in using the available resources
proficiently i.e. drip irrigation, efficient toilets, finding and fixing leaks early, reusing treated
sewage for farming, and most importantly metering water to discourage wastage.
The industrial waste, sewage systems, and inefficiencies in the pipelines mixing with the
usable water renders the reserves and lining system prone to severe intoxications resulting
in different diseases. If line leaks and losses are fixed we can save extensive amount.
Following the sustainable development goals (SDG’s) and millennium development goals
(MDG’s) we can serve in the betterment of the rapid shift in the environment named as
global warming. Global warming is affecting the rain and weather patterns on which our
country is very dependent on. We need to endorse the afforestation and less emission of
green-house gases to curb the menace.
Water theft and mis-governance are leading problems in the rural as well as now becoming
urban areas due to paucity of the resource. Causing disputes among groups. We need to
modernize and introduce stern measures to address these issues, liberating the masses of
their misery.
Water scarcity has been a dangling sword on our heads from a long time. Which has now
become so serious that the survival of our country is in jeopardy. The deadline has been
given by the national and international institutions that the country will reach “absolute
water scarcity by 2025”. With International Monetary Fund quoting water scarcity to be the
one factor threatening the national economy. We have been put to this shamble condition
by the ruling elite and the political bickering right from the independence of the nation. The
ills and mismanagement has put severe pressure on the available resource. The problem is
multifactorial as it has been brought upon us by ourselves, each contributing in different
forms. For example wasting more than using, not constructing the reservoirs on political
behest i.e. Kalabagh dam, flood irrigation etc. We can follow the example of Israel in
managing our available resources efficiently and effectively. Global warming is putting more
stress on already afflicted condition, as quoted by the World Resources Institute (WRI),
Pakistan is predicted to be the most water stressed country in the region by 2040. For this
the country needs to ably address the rapid urbanization and industrialization. To reduce
emission of green-house gases and serve in its global commitments because it is the world’s
most vulnerable victim of climate change aka global warming. The government needs to
take stern actions to confront its inabilities and the peoples lavish waste of water. Unless
the government and the masses do not take mutual action against this life threatening
situation we cannot overcome the water scarcity.

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