True, the country has been fighting for survival as commodity and energy costs have risen, aggravating debt problems and wreaking havoc on flood-ravaged areas.
Analysts agree that Pakistan avoided a default-like crisis by implementing severe austerity and black belt tightening. Things are difficult but salvageable, and we have not yet reached the disastrous levels that Sri Lanka has.
What should be of far greater concern is another life-sustaining commodity that is far more difficult to restore than money – water.
The floods have emphasized this problem, which requires quick and urgent response. Due to a lack of infrastructure, a substantial portion of the rural population is now submerged in filthy circumstances.
The rising flood death toll is accompanied by waterborne infections and contaminated water, or in certain cases, a complete absence of it.
Despite rescue monies provided by some of the world’s wealthier countries, a long-term and sustainable solution is required.
While there has been a lot of media attention paid to Pakistan’s present financial issues, the deadly floods have added to the woes.
The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) recently produced a report titled “Water Crisis in Pakistan: Manifestation, Causes, and the Way Forward,” which portrayed a gloomy image.
It cited alarming data such as Pakistan’s classification as 14th out of 17 “very high-water-risk” countries in the world, with one-third of available water wasted.
Furthermore, the research claims that “serious water scarcity” affects more than 80% of the country’s population. Pakistan’s water availability has decreased from 5,229 cubic meters per inhabitant in 1962 to barely 1,187 in 2017.
This issue will not only have an impact on Pakistan’s critical agriculture industry, which accounts for 23% of Pakistan’s GDP and employs 42% of its labor force, but it will also represent a significant danger to energy and food security in the world’s fifth most populous country.
This is a deadly serious scenario. There are some indications that the crisis is being addressed – and not a second too soon.
In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Pakistan’s Vision 2025 intends to increase water storage capacity, improve agricultural efficiency by 20%, and ensure that all Pakistanis have access to safe drinking water.
To read our blog on “2600 MW production target to be achieved by next year, Khurram Dastgir,” click here
