ISLAMABAD: Pakistan lost $90 billion worth of water in the recurring floods since 2010.

“This is other than the devastating effects on infrastructure, livestock, agriculture and human lives,” said chairman Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources, Dr Mohammad Ashraf.

Speaking at a seminar titled International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development 2018-28 on Thursday, Dr Ashraf said Pakistan is only storing 10pc of its water and with the increase in population and as a result of obsolete agricultural activities, there is huge pressure on groundwater depleting fast year-by-year across the country.

Every Pakistani will suffer absolute water scarcity by 2025, seminar on sustainable water management told

“Pakistan must store 40pc of its water, according to World Bank standards. The way forward includes increasing storage through the construction of dams, introducing a groundwater regulatory framework and controlling population growth. Hence, Pakistan needs to change its priorities and coupled with political will, the water crisis can be avoided altogether,” he said,

Organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, participants of the seminar were told that according to the four major international indicators on water scarcity, every Pakistani will suffer absolute water scarcity by 2025.

First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Republic of Tajikistan Dr Nizomuddin Zohidi, emphasised on the achievement of sustainable development by building effective cooperation through mutual trust and involvement of all stakeholders.

He talked about how the International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028 launched by his country’s President Emomali Rahmon, aims to create a board for capacity development which will also contribute to a smooth transition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He also stressed on factors which need to be taken into account regarding water scarcity including climate change, population growth and increase in demand for water resources, means of implementation particularly human and financial resources, cooperation in the field of education and culture and a trans-boundary component of water cooperation which is central to ensuring peace and stability.

Ambassador of Tajikistan Sherali Jononov, said Tajikistan is one of the leaders in advancing water resources at an international level and aimed at using its water resources to not only meet national needs but also to create regional balance.

He went on to give various examples of how his government aimed to do this including advancing the benefits of hydropower development both through building hydropower development and through water reservoirs for storage purposes.

Water, he said, was a key element not only for social development but also for ensuring peace, stability and development.

Ghafurzoda Taghaimurod, head of the Department of Water Resource, Tajikistan’s Ministry of Energy and Water Resources spoke on how water was a strategic resource of Tajikistan and was the basis of social and economic development and even national security, which was why the country was trying to find a good position on the international scene in addressing one of the key issues of global warming.

ISSI chairman, Ambassador Khalid Mahmood said that according to a UN report, one-sixth of the world population does not have access to safe drinking water and that by 2025 half of the countries worldwide will face water stress or outright shortages.

He said that being a lower riparian country to India, Pakistan is dependent upon the upstream ecosystems to provide the water supply for irrigation, drinking and generating hydropower.

This is why it is important that the Indus Water Treaty is followed in letter and spirit and its dispute resolution mechanism does not become dysfunctional.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2018