THIS is with reference to the editorial ‘Water scarcity’ (March 10). Inadequate water storage capacity is another major concern in this context. Pakistan can store water for only 30 days, whereas the international benchmark is 120 days. In contrast, India has a water storage capacity of 220 days. Currently, Pakistan’s dams have a live storage capacity of only 13.68 million acre feet (MAF), down from 16.26 MAF in 1976, due to sedimentation and inadequate maintenance.
Pakistan’s major water reservoirs include Tarbela dam, completed in 1976 with a gross/live storage capacity of 11.6/6.05 MAF, Mangla dam, completed in 1967 and raised in 2009 to achieve a gross/live capacity of 14.0/7.28 MAF, and Chashma barrage, completed in 1971.
However, by August 2024, total water storage in these three key reservoirs was recorded at only 11.5 MAF, significantly lower than required.
To combat the water crisis, Pakistan urgently needs large-scale water storage projects. A strategic plan formulated in the 1970s envisioned the construction of one mega dam per decade. But despite the lapse of five decades, not a single major dam has been completed.
The most glaring example of negligence is the shelving of the Kalabagh dam project, which had a proposed storage capacity of 7.9 MAF and was widely regarded as one of the most feasible and beneficial projects for Pakistan.
It was only in 2019-20 that the cons-
truction of two major projects — Mohmand dam and Diamer-Bhasha dam — were finally initiated, with a combined gross storage capacity of 9.39 MAF and live storage of 7.07 MAF. The former was originally scheduled for completion by December 2025, but has now been delayed until 2027.
Similarly, the latter had an initial completion assessment for August 2028, but it has now been revised to December 2030, with its current physical progress standing at less than even 20 per cent.
Another crucial project that is under construction is Dasu dam, launched in 2014, which will have a gross storage capacity of 8.1 MAF upon completion. Even if all these reservoirs are completed, Pakistan’s total water storage capacity will only increase to about 45 days, far below the minimum recommended threshold of 120 days.
Beyond climatic factors, weak policy frameworks, water mismanagement, and inefficient infrastructure have played a critical role in worsening the water crisis. Ironically, despite its severe water cons-
traints, Pakistan has the fourth-highest rate of water consumption in the world, reflecting gross inefficiencies in water utilisation and conservation.
Pakistan utilises over 90pc of its water resources for agriculture, compared to the global average of 70pc, making its surface water highly susceptible to depletion. Despite this, the country has been slow to adopt modern irrigation techniques, such as gravity-fed drip systems, sub-surface drip irrigation, and sprinkler systems.
Consequently, Pakistan withdraws approximately 83pc of its total renewable freshwater resources annually, making it one of the most water-intensive countries. Unsustainable groundwater extraction has also reached alarming levels, with around 50 MAF of water being withdrawn annually from underground aquifers, exceeding the sustainable limit of safe yield. At the same time, Pakistan loses approximately 35 MAF of floodwater to the sea each year due to inadequate storage infrastructure.
Pakistan’s water crisis is no longer just an environmental or economic issue; it is now an issue of our survival. If urgent and effective measures are not taken, the country is bound to suffer big time.
Hussain Ahmad Siddiqui
Islamabad
Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2025
