AT a time when Pakistan is engaged in containing the coronavirus pandemic, the government must also keep its eyes on the crisis that is waiting to emerge and likely to prove another disaster for the nation.

In an interview with the Indian newspaper, The Times of India, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that he was happy to see the Indian government’s efforts for water reservoirs construction even during the Covid-19 crisis.

He praised the BJP government, the prime minister, his cabinet and opposition leaders for their serious approach to the country’s water issue.

According to an International Monetary Fund report, India’s water availability is 1,545 cubic meters while Pakistan’s per capita annual water availability is 1,017 cubic meters. This shows that the situation in Pakistan is alarming. The reports by the World Bank and the IMF state that “Pakistan could run dry by 2025. The Covid-19 pandemic has further fuelled the crisis.

Water usage has increased as people are using more of it to wash after using soap throughout the day. A water crisis will be disastrous for Pakistan, an agricultural-based economy. Approximately 95 per cent of Pakistan’s water is used for agriculture and its unavailability would certainly hurt our economy and possibly cause food insecurity in the country.

Likewise, the water issue may result in war with Afghanistan and India. India has repeatedly violated the Indus Waters Treaty by construction of 850MW GVK capacity Ratle dam with hydroelectric power project in India-occupied Kashmir near Kishtwar, in efforts to harm Pakistan economically and create a serious water crisis.

In Afghanistan’s case, the Kabul river is of immense importance for Pakistan. It provides water for irrigation, drinking and power to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The river irrigates three fertile districts of KP, providing 85pc of the irrigation needs in Charsadda, 80pc in Peshawar, and 47.5pc in Nowshera.

The Afghan government has decided to commence work on the construction of the $236 million Shahtoot dam on the Kabul river that would cut flow of water into Pakistan.

The project is a component of Afghanistan’s ambitious India-backed plans of building 12 dams on the Kabul river basin. Hence, there is a possibility of water wars with both countries.

In 2018, the government announced its national water policy which included multi-faceted measures for water preservation. Sadly, the policy has not been implemented properly.

On the part of the public, water wastage has increased as reported by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources. The PCRW states that in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic more water is being used owing to the increase in hand washing and other needs.

The country is in need of more dams. All that is needed is the political will that ensures prioritisation of national interests over vested interests.

Zain Raza Baloch

Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2020