Usable Water Reserves Drop Sharply Across Pakistan

Pakistan is facing a deepening water crisis as the country’s usable water reserves have dropped sharply. According to the latest figures from the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), reserves stand at just 3.856 million acre-feet—a decrease of 188,000 acre-feet in the last 24 hours and a staggering 723,000 acre-feet lost over the past four days.

WAPDA’s report highlights a huge decline in river inflows, with the Indus River’s flow down by 10,000 cusecs, the Jhelum River by 2,600 cusecs, and the Chashma Barrage by 2,500 cusecs. Only the Chenab River saw a slight increase of 500 cusecs, which experts say is not enough to counter the overall downward trend.

In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for urgent action, emphasizing the need to build new water reservoirs as a national priority. He chaired a high-level meeting, directing the formation of a committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to evaluate funding and fast-track dam construction. The committee, which includes all provincial chief ministers and key federal officials, has been tasked with submitting recommendations within 72 hours.

Progress on major dam projects was also reviewed. The Diamer-Bhasha Dam is under construction and expected to be completed by 2032, while the Mohmand Dam is on track for completion by 2027. Pakistan currently operates 11 major dams with a combined storage capacity of 15.318 million acre-feet, and dozens more are under construction or planned.

The meeting also addressed rising tensions with India over water rights. The prime minister condemned India’s threats to cut off Pakistan’s water supply, calling it a violation of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and an act of “water aggression.” He vowed that Pakistan would defend its rights with unity and resolve, describing water security as a collective national challenge.

All leaders present at the emergency meeting unanimously condemned India’s aggressive water policy and agreed on the need for a comprehensive national action plan to safeguard Pakistan’s water resources.