Pakistan's water paradox: drowning in floods, dying of thirst
Every monsoon brings the same question: Are we prepared? The devastating floods of recent years destroyed lives, crops, livestock, infrastructure and livelihoods across Pakistan. Billions of dollars were lost, yet much of the floodwater ultimately flowed into the Arabian Sea or evaporated to the atmosphere while the country moved closer to water scarcity. Pakistan is confronting a paradox. During…
Pakistan grapples with an unsettling paradox: while monsoon floods destroy livelihoods each year, a looming water crisis threatens food security and urban life. Climate change exacerbates both extremes, demanding a shift from reactive flood management to comprehensive water management. Experts emphasize the need for a national water security strategy involving the government, academia, industry and farming communities.
However, progress has been limited. Despite improved flood forecasting and disaster management, encroached floodplains, obstructed river channels, inadequate urban drainage, degraded watersheds and low water storage capacity persist. To address the dual crisis of floods and droughts, Pakistan must focus on upstream water management in the Indus Basin, construct dams and reservoirs, and protect the Indus Delta.
Cities must develop tailored solutions, such as restoring natural nullahs and implementing rainwater harvesting in Karachi, check dams in Quetta's catchments, and groundwater recharge in Lahore. Agriculture must become more water-efficient through crop selection, modern irrigation methods, and mandatory rainwater harvesting. By taking these steps, Pakistan can begin to mitigate the devastating effects of its water paradox.
Written by urgent.news from Business Recorder's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
