Water shortage looming, warns Khawaja Asif

E-Paper | March 04, 2026

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif on Tuesday warned that although the electricity shortage in the country would be overcome soon, the scarcity of water is another issue looming in the country.

Addressing a seminar in the provincial capital city of Punjab, Asif said that loadshedding would end within two to three years in the country.

He said that water shortage was imminent and that efforts needed to be made to resolve it right away.

The federal minister said that land for construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam is being acquired on the same rate as land in Islamabad. He further said that future generations will benefit from electricity generated through dams.

Asif mentioned that the government is focusing on energy projects which will enable more electricity generation, said a report published on Radio Pakistan.

The projects will be completed within the next two to three years, he added.

Also read: Fuel, power shortage looms as oil stocks plummet

Last month, filling stations and power plants had started drying up as petrol and furnace oil stocks plummeted to dangerous levels mainly because of chronic circular debt coupled with falling oil prices, affecting private transport and an increase in load-shedding.

Consequently, power loadshedding had also increased to more than 12 hours in major cities like Rawalpindi, Lahore and Multan.

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Shahram

Feb 10, 2015 01:21pm

Pray, how does one generate hydroelectric power with no water stored in dams?

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Shakeel

Feb 10, 2015 01:33pm

What do you expect when the Indians are stealing our water? Worse still is that we are mismanaging whatever water we do have!

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Patriot

Feb 10, 2015 01:33pm

What steps are proposed by the Govt to overcome anticipated water shortages? Or the Govt just wants to say later on :"We told you about this or that problem".

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Factual

Feb 10, 2015 01:45pm

So its 2-3 years now? How many of you believe him? Raise your hands! Lol

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khurshid

Feb 10, 2015 01:49pm

@Shahram thats all you can do pray & no action. God does not help those who does not help them self

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Syed Ganga Din

Feb 10, 2015 01:50pm

If water shortage is looming, how will you eliminate electricity shortage. Does this double talk mean that electricity problem is here to stay or did China promise you to give a few free nuclear reactors?

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Akbaruddin

Feb 10, 2015 01:56pm

Fuel, power and now water? What next? You can blame India for water shortage but whom you will blame for fuel and power shortage?

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Jainy

Feb 10, 2015 02:00pm

For Pakistani Parliamentarian's everything is possible. Why are we kept alive?? I am going to hang myself just due to our rulers. We have no right to raise our words against them cause otherwise there would be serious consequences from intelligence agencies, Armed forces, State Police and other local Gullu Butts. I lost this battle of survival. Congrats Pakistan establishment you won the race. You may not see me anymore but in the afterlife, we the victims would be laughing on your fortune. You act like fully drunk when in rule. This is our fortune. Hey Pakistani's don't try to increase population to serve them and their next generations. They are all on same page against this country and it's people.

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Haroon Rashid Khan

Feb 10, 2015 02:06pm

What is going to be the next gift from this incompetent government? Air shortage?

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Noman Zia

Feb 10, 2015 02:06pm

Whenever this guy opens his mouth only bad news comes out. For the sake of Pakistan do what is required or shut up

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Cyrus Ho

Feb 10, 2015 02:19pm

Mister Asif appears to be one of the problem solvers in government. Dams prevent flooding. Pakistan's top soil won't be washed away into the Arabian sea. Pakistan's and India's rivers get their water from the Himalayan mountain range. Global warming is slowly melting those snow caps and dams will help preserve water supplies in the future. Dams are in the strategic interest of the country, and the Defense Minister is the one concerned with building, preserving and providing strategic assets.

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KhalidS

Feb 10, 2015 02:21pm

Let's have a Paya and Nihari shortage in Raiwind, then only Nawaz Sharif will get serious.

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Harmony

Feb 10, 2015 02:22pm

"water shortage was imminent and that efforts needed to be made to resolve it right away". So, what is he doing about it? Analysts have been saying this would be the biggest problem in future. NS governance is a total failure!

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Taimur

Feb 10, 2015 02:27pm

How many dams have these political leaders built during last forty years and still we elect them so the problem is with us

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irfan

Feb 10, 2015 02:29pm

Asif Sahib don't you think, it is again the best time to give Modi Mother another pair of Sarehi as gift?

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KHAN

Feb 10, 2015 02:33pm

If he get water shortage in his house what will he do ???? leave the PML N ? Fire the whater board chairman?? or Sit Like the pak public ??? as the entire country listen to his statements. water shortages are only for the public but not for the ministers !!!!!

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janasheen

Feb 10, 2015 02:46pm

Pakistan should immediately propose and joint project to bring water from Tibet , as high priority to save pakistan, pakistan can no longer depend on India for water , if China gains through Gwadar ,pakistan should also get something in return and what better than water . FOR THE SAKE OF ALL WEATHER FRIENDSHIP PAKISTAN SHOULD RECEIVE WATER FROM CHINA DURING ALL WEATHERS.

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khalq-e-khuda

Feb 10, 2015 02:51pm

Lying through their teeth.

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kurmi

Feb 10, 2015 03:00pm

@janasheen Real test of China Pak friendship if this project is realised and it will make pakistan more powerful vis a vis India as it will no longer be dependent on India for water and can assert itself better against arch enemy.

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Whatever

Feb 10, 2015 03:14pm

when does this gov work?????????????

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A Shah

Feb 10, 2015 03:16pm

What? First no petrol then no electricity and now no water? Well let's just keep focusing on India and Kaahmir and ignore the elephant in the room.

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anees zaidvi

Feb 10, 2015 03:37pm

When you are talking about load-shedding, ONE Year = 1000 days.

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Kanwarch

Feb 10, 2015 03:38pm

He is an idiot as everybody knows that water shortage is approaching fast and this will be devastating for the country. What I need to hear from this corrupt and incompetent minister and his government is the steps they are taking to combat this. These people are busy making money and buying properties in Dubai and will leave the country when time comes but what about the country. People of Pakistan should wake up now and bring this government to task otherwise we will be no better than Somalia in future. God help us

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Feb 10, 2015 03:48pm

Your job is not to just issue warnings, proper action plan and follow through is the most important part.

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david

Feb 10, 2015 04:03pm

@janasheen --- What happens if in ten years time there is no snow in Tibet due to Green House effect ?

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Ahmad

Feb 10, 2015 04:24pm

Liar as always be it Asif, Saad Rafiq, Sharifs, Chudhary Khan or Pervaiz Rashid. When will we be rid of these cancers.

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AJamal

Feb 10, 2015 04:28pm

Kh Asif should tell us actions and initiative have been taken by him since coming to power? Nawaz Sharif had touted his team as capable and experienced. Instead of warning please get your act together.

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Nazir Ahmed

Feb 10, 2015 04:58pm

What you are there fore? You are only to tell us bad news. To distract attention of people! It means you are not doing your duties well.

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abdul manan

Feb 10, 2015 05:07pm

Kalabagh Dam is inevitable now.

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public

Feb 10, 2015 05:12pm

There is a very simple but sure way out of this mess created by Zardari Nawaz & Co. Just kick them out.

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Sunil

Feb 10, 2015 05:29pm

Struggling for electricity and water, in this era, and yet want Kashmir. What happened to the nuclear plants suppose to generate electricity?

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sab

Feb 10, 2015 05:29pm

Let's make him the minister of shortages!

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Kumar

Feb 10, 2015 05:30pm

@Shakeel Pakistan blames India for shortage of water and also blames India for floods. Recognize that India does not control nature. It is your mismanagement of water that creates problems. Build dams

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Shakil

Feb 10, 2015 05:42pm

Astonishing, the very person who should doing something about it, all he does complain about it! we should remind him, he is current minister of water and power!

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tinker bell

Feb 10, 2015 05:50pm

His job as a minister is not to issue warnings..anyone can do that but to take solid steps to prevent it. How many dams have been built? That's what I want to know from him

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Iqbal Bhai

Feb 10, 2015 05:57pm

Are you BBC or a minister? You just come and give us the news !

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mabob

Feb 10, 2015 05:58pm

PMLN shall also sell out the water, like dollars, like petrol, like gas, like food, like Pakistan.

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LAME

Feb 10, 2015 06:45pm

If India steels water from rivers coming in PAK, then PAK can also stop 5 rivers flowing in to INDIA. But Mind you holding back the water over a limit is very dangerous. So neither India nor PAK do that.

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Feb 10, 2015 06:45pm

@Shakeel Indians are stealing and we are draining our into the sea.

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Shaneeza

Feb 10, 2015 08:25pm

Don't worry, China will give us as much water we need. President Xi and Foreign Minister Yi called Gen Raheel to assure him of China's support. I am just chilling out with a smiling face.

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Thinking Indian

Feb 10, 2015 08:48pm

I see some comments blaming India for water shortage in Pakistan. This info may help. India has signed a water sharing agreement with Pakistan & followed it even during wars. China is building huge dams in Tibet & refusing to sign a water sharing agreement with India. Many rivers in Eastern India/ Bangladesh originate in Tibet. One of the best articles on the subject was published in Dawn. Link below. http://www.dawn.com/news/1131076/drowning-with-the-enemy

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Who cares

Feb 10, 2015 08:52pm

@mabob very filmy dude..

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Zahid Siddique

Feb 10, 2015 08:52pm

I am a supporter of PML(N). If one wants to see that Mr. Asif is a competent person; one can take a tour of his constituency. He has neglected his own city Sialkot more than any elected official in history. Roads are in bad shape, there is not a single medical institute where Angiography can be performed for cardiac patients. After repeated attempts to remind him through many forums i ended up believing that we won't see him concerned about welfare of people of Sialkot till next elections.

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Sam

Feb 10, 2015 09:04pm

Most of the south asian countries are alien to the concept of water conservation and recycling. Our problem is water mis-mismanagement and wastage. Has anybody thought of those cheap yet effective ideas? NO!

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truthsayer

Feb 10, 2015 10:08pm

@abdul manan Oh do shut up, Kalabagh dam will never happen because the only province it benefits is Punjab, just like nearly everything else in the country primarily supports Punjabmainly at the expense of Pashtuns and Baloch. If you want Pakistan to develop then I would get off your spoiled high horse and develop KPK and Balochistan

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suresh

Feb 10, 2015 10:46pm

@Shakeel In response to Indians stealing water,what about petrol carcity,did Indians steal the same,what about electricity & gas shortage

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Ozz

Feb 10, 2015 11:28pm

2 to 3 years aye,electricity problem solved.I guess the present government will not be in power then,pun, so who cares.Nothing will be solved.They will rob us dry n run away,then we will start blaming the next government for the shortage of electricity.Third world indeed.

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Sameer

Feb 10, 2015 11:52pm

Pakistan is a nuclear power without power. Isn't it ironical that Pakistan has multiple reactors to build nuclear weapons, but is not able to use this technology adequately to provide electricity to its own people.

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zack Khan

Feb 11, 2015 12:15am

Defense Minister of a poorest country...wearing expensive suite...claims no water shortage in 2 to 3 years...!!! I don't think he realized that water has been in shortage for last 20 years and maybe more. he should be hanged for making mockery of innocent people!

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abdul

Feb 11, 2015 12:16am

This is the result of successive inept and incompetent governments dictators included. We never did anything in an organized and orderly manner. Our political parties did not put their heads together, they have always been at loggerheads. Their interest came before those of the country. They are still at it. I am afraid there seems to be a contradiction in Dawn's reporting. Khawaja Asif is depicted as both Defense Minister and Minister for Water and Power. Could Dawn please clarify as to which Ministry does he actually heads.

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Merchant

Feb 11, 2015 12:21am

We should be grateful to God that Nawaz and Zardari Leagues do no have control over other elements such air and sun. These corrupt politicians would have starved the nation of oxygen and daytime light.

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tarik

Feb 11, 2015 12:56am

Great diagnosis ! but what are you going to do about that ?

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View From Above

Feb 11, 2015 02:05am

I want to make a bet with the minister: If the loadshedding problem is solved in the next 3 to 4 years as he claims I will donate 50% of my annual salary to the ministry of water and power resources. If he is wrong then he donates 50% of his annual salary to his own ministry. Is that fair?

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Fawad Ahmad

Feb 11, 2015 02:44am

It's an old issue and what your govt have done from last two years to fix this issue ? i guess nothing...your party is in govt so work in this area instead of raising alarms..I hope this time your Govt will deal with this issue on time not after some deaths..

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Liaquat

Feb 11, 2015 03:08am

@Harmony I agree with your remarks but sorry to say that you forget to mention the interest of this Government "Worry about their Own business and interest in India" and not about nation and Pakistan.

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Amjad Wyne

Feb 11, 2015 03:34am

The only thing left in abundance in Pakistan are bad leaders - everything else, including Oxygen is in short supply

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Riaz M M

Feb 11, 2015 03:35am

Whyare wenot investing on a huge scale in two sectors which are going to be dependable for ever namely Solar Power and nuclear Power,is it because imported coal ,oil and Gas are permanent source of commission for the people in power(past,present and future belonging to all the parties and the establishment ). Also why don't we build the water storage dams in border areas to teach a lesson to India for stealing our water,such dams close to border would drown Indian villages thus teaching them a lesson and also serve as a part of defence against Indian aggression.

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Azi

Feb 11, 2015 03:47am

Please keep voting for these incompetent people. You NS/ PMLN people have an active hand in this country's downfall. Maybe one day you can explain to your kids with no water the compelling reasons you tried and tried again with NS and yet got a failure of a govt.

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Sheri

Feb 11, 2015 04:07am

Can someone tell our esteemed Minister that telling us there is a problem wont solve the problem.? Telling us his solutions would however go a long way both for us and his vote bank...

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Nadeem Khan

Feb 11, 2015 06:06am

ANOTHER LIE I thought electricity problem was to be solved as soon as nawaz was in power,,,, what happened to that promise amongst many others????

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dipak

Feb 11, 2015 06:26am

agood rulers administators or parliament cancelles all unproductive expenses without any hesitation to serve the people 1st. water electricity power gas petrol etc etc are the basic needs of human.there is absolutely no external threats, no country will attack nor interesting. huge amt of budget is unproductive.good relations with neighbour can only help. still we believe that pakistan was the part of hindustan and relations with pak. is like youger brother.it is only rulers have seprated us. keep all problems aside,only india is in a position to help if rulers decide to make. after 67 yrs of independence india has atleast made better planning to avoid major desister. storage of water and generation electricity is must must must.

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Zahid

Feb 11, 2015 09:42am

Will someone tell this man that he is in government not opposition. Instead of issuing warnings he should provide clear action plan to solve 'looming water shortage' threat. Otherwise he should be replaced as incompetent.

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