Pakistan's Water Woes: A Call for Urgent Reforms Amidst Crisis

A seminar held by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics highlights the worrying state of Pakistan's water quality. With only 47% having access to safe drinking water, experts urge critical reforms to tackle the escalating public health threat. The declining water availability, contamination, and poor management exacerbate this crisis.

A recent seminar hosted by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) in Islamabad has cast a stark light on the nation's critical water-quality crisis. According to experts, only 47% of the population has access to safe drinking water, marking a grim outlook for public health and sustainable development in the country.

Dr. Hifza Rasheed of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) warned that Pakistan's per capita freshwater availability has dropped drastically from 5,260 cubic meters in 1951 to under 1,000 cubic meters by 2024, thrusting the country into the category of water scarcity. The situation is compounded by nearly 70% of households using contaminated water, leading to severe health implications.

Highlighting the urgency, Dr. Shujaat Farooq of PIDE stressed that water scarcity is not merely an issue of limited supply but also one of inadequate management. With agriculture consuming 93% of freshwater resources, inefficient irrigation practices and significant groundwater depletion exacerbate the crisis. As the nation grapples with increasing contamination and climate risks, immediate and coordinated reforms are deemed essential to safeguard Pakistan's water future.