Water Crisis in Pakistan: Manifestation, Causes and the Way Forward

Nazam Maqbool
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Nazam Maqbool: Pakistan Institute of Development Economics

No 2022:60, PIDE Knowledge Brief from Pakistan Institute of Development Economics

Abstract: Water scarcity is a frightening situation that is already happening in Pakistan. The country ranks 14 among the 17 �extremely high water risk� countries of the world, a list that includes hot and dry countries like Saudi Arabia.[2] Over 80 percent of the total population in the country faces �severe water scarcity� for at least one month of the year.[3] In addition to surface water, Pakistan�s groundwater resources�the last resort of water supply�are severely overdrawn, mainly to supply water for irrigation. If the situation remains unchanged, the whole country may face �water scarcity� by 2025. The situation is strategically more complicated, as Pakistan is the lower riparian country to India and 78 percent of its water inflows from therein.[4] Moreover, only two-thirds of available water is being utilised while one-third of the water is either lost or discharged into the sea.[5]

Keywords: Water Crisis; Pakistan; Manifestation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 8 pages
Date: 2022
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr and nep-env
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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