Pakistan was one of the most water-stressed countries in the world, with an average per capita annual water availability of less than 1000 cubic meters. The country was transitioning from water-stressed to water-scarce status driven by population growth, industrial expansion, inefficient irrigation, unsustainable groundwater use, inadequate storage, low water productivity, and also very poor management efficiency.
The federal government needs to invest to the maximum extent in modernizing the irrigation systems across the country, such as adapting drip irrigation, which uses water more efficiently.
Additionally, improving the maintenance and management of canal systems was also crucial. Public awareness campaigns on water conservation and the efficient use of water in both agriculture and domestic sectors hopefully can help in mitigating water scarcity.
Building new dams and reservoirs, such as the Diamer Bhasha Dam, was also critical for improving the country’s water storage capacity. Such projects will help in storing water during the monsoon season and release during periods of drought.
Water was a critical natural source for Pakistan, especially given its more than 240 million people. Meeting the growing demand for water, ensuring its availability, effective management and sustainability posed significant challenges for the federal and provincial governments. Water was important to agriculture, industry, and domestic consumption. Its scarcity as such posed serious risks to economic growth and social well-being across the country, especialy to the people living in the least developed areas where water was in short supply and the land was ridden with persistent problems of waterlogging and salinity.
The River Indus was Pakistan’s main source of surface water. It flows from the northern part through the country’s length towards the southern part. Several tributaries, including the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers provide about 90 percent of the country’s water supply for agricultural and other domestic use.
Pakistan’s surface irrigation, recognized as the world’s largest contiguous irrigated network, features only three storage reservoirs with a live storage capacity of just 13 million acre feet, along with 19 barrages, 12 inter-river link canals, two syphons, and 44 canal commands. The extensive network of main canals and distributaries spanned about 64,000 km, complemented by an additiona 1,621,000 km of watercourses, according to the relevant facts and figures gathered from the official sources concerned.
It was quite appreciable that despite his very heavy engagements at the national as well as international levels, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was finding some time every now and them to look into the country’s agricultural and irrigation problems and concerns and stressing on the acceleration of construction of only two under-construction water storage Facilities, the Diamer Bhasha Dam and Mohmand Dam, and reviewing implementation of the Prime Minister Agriculture Emergency Programme aiming at increasing the command area in Pakistan.
Groundwater was a vital source, especially in the areas with limited or seasonal water. Pakistan had an extensive network of wells and tubewells, especially in the arid regions of Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab. Groundwater in Sindh was meagre as most aquifers were brackish. Groundwater extraction as such was crucial for irrigation in many parts of the country, though it was being used at unsustainable rates. Groundwater contributed 60 MAF of water.
Furthermore, rainfall patterns also varied significantly across Pakistan. The monsoon season typically brought heavy rainfall , especially to the eastern and northern regions. However, rainfall was highly erratic and often did not align with the demand cycles for water, leading to varying periods of drought and floods.
Under the National Water Policy (2018), the following main targets were fixed for 12 years i.e. 2018-2030: 33 percent reduction i.e. 15.24 MAF, in the 46 MAF river flows lost in conveyance through watercourses lining.
Live storage capacity enhancement of 10 MAF.
30 percent increase in water use efficiency through modern irrigation Techniques. By increasing 30 percent water use efficiency, irrigation efficiency will be increased from 39 percent to 50.7 percent, resulting in an increase in future agriculture production and food security.
Refurbishment of irrigation infrastructure. Real-time monitoring of water distributaries for transparent water accounting, and development of a unified authentic database for reliable water resources assessment.
It was quite appreciable that despite his very heavy engagements at the national as well as international levels, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was finding some time every now and them to look into the country’s agricultural and irrigation problems and concerns and stressing on the acceleration of construction of only two under-construction water storage Facilities, the Diamer Bhasha Dam and Mohmand Dam, and reviewing implementation of the Prime Minister Agriculture Emergency Programme aiming at increasing the command area in Pakistan. But lots more needs to be done in this regard with the provision of maximum possible resources as the time is fast running out.
