Beyond the barrage: Pakistan’s water crisis |
PAKISTAN’S water scarcity is now a national emergency, yet the governance framework remains trapped in fragmented federalism.
Driven by unique geospatial and institutional realities, each of the four provinces pursues its own model of integrated water resource management (IWRM). This lack of a unanimous approach is perhaps inevitable given the diversity of the Indus Basin, but the resulting inefficiency is pushing the country toward a critical precipice. By 2050, Sindh may face zero water coverage downstream of the Kotri Barrage during the crucial Rabi season, with overall scarcity hitting 30% in the provinces, severely impacting areas like the desert feeder. Southern Punjab is also projected to suffer immensely due to groundwater depletion and inefficient surface water distribution. Perennial inter-provincial disputes over water sharing will further aggravate, while climate change acts as the ultimate amplifier, making erratic flows and flash droughts the new normal.
Amid these crises, provincial........