Islamabad—Pakistan’s water crisis is growing more urgent, pushing millions to dig deeper wells, trek far to find water, and forcing women in drought‑hit areas to shoulder the hardest load, a new report said Wednesday.
Children are already paying the price. The ban‑tide of contaminated water and poor sanitation is sparking preventable illnesses. In cities, residents face daily shortages while many rural villages are left behind, with little state support.
The report in Islam Khabar says Pakistan’s water problems are not due to a lack of rain. Rather, they stem from systemic mismanagement and government inaction. Though the country ranks near the top in natural water availability, it is among the most water‑stressed nations worldwide. The real issue is human error, not nature.
Key gaps highlighted include: no long‑term water plan, no integrated drought‑warning system, and minimal investment in infrastructure. The International Water Management Institute’s analysis points to weak data, outdated planning tools, and a lack of coordination among provinces.
Political leaders and the media have largely ignored the crisis. Instead of planning, politicians use the issue to score points, blaming external actors. The government repeatedly points fingers at India for suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and at Afghanistan’s Kunar River dam, claiming these moves threaten water flow to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These diversion tactics keep focus away from Pakistan’s own mismanagement and delay real solutions.
In fact, the cities most suffering—Islamabad and Rawalpindi—draw water from local watersheds entirely within the country. Their shortages can’t be blamed on foreign nations; they are a result of domestic neglect.
Unless Pakistan adopts a comprehensive water policy, improves data collection, and invests in modern infrastructure, the crisis will worsen. The country’s future depends on urgent reform, accountability, and a shift away from blame‑games toward action.
Source: ianslive
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