WATER MANAGEMENT IN PAKISTAN: CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD TO SUSTAINABILITY

Abstract

Pakistan’s water resources, anchored in the Indus River System and supplemented by monsoon rainfall and groundwater, are facing intensifying stress from population growth, reservoir sedimentation, outdated conveyance infrastructure, and fragmented governance. Synthesizing four decades of hydrological data, policy analysis, and stakeholder interviews, this paper reveals the decline in Indus flows (by 12.5%), loss in reservoir storage (by 26%), and persistent low irrigation efficiency (of 39%). National Water Policy targets remain largely unrealized (achievement less than 15%) five years post-promulgation. Preferred way forward includes raising storage capacity to 21 MAF, modernizing conveyance (lining, pipelining, smart metering), instituting volumetric pricing, and establishing a unified Water Management Information System. A phased awareness campaign and interagency coordination will be critical. These measures aim
to conserve at least 17% of available water, bolster food–energy–climate security, and mitigate non-traditional threats to national security.