More Than Half of Pakistanis Still Lack Access to Safe Drinking Water

Pakistan’s annual per capita water availability has fallen by around 80 percent since independence, while more than half of the country’s population still lacks access to safely managed drinking water, according to three United Nations reports.

The reports were released by UNESCO, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the United Nations Development Programme. They highlight growing water stress, poor sanitation coverage, and limited financial resources to address Pakistan’s worsening water and sanitation challenges.

Speaking at an event held as part of the extended World Water Day celebrations, Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo said Pakistan’s freshwater availability has declined sharply over the past seven decades.

“At the time of independence, each Pakistani had access to more than 5,000 cubic meters of freshwater annually. Today, that figure has dropped below 1,000 cubic meters,” he said.

The UN World Water Development Report 2026 said Pakistan continues to face serious challenges in providing safe water and sanitation services to its population. According to WHO and UNICEF estimates, around 55 percent of Pakistanis do not have access to safely managed drinking water services.

The reports also found that more than 58 percent of people in rural areas lack safely managed sanitation facilities.

The findings point to a deepening water crisis as climate change, rapid population growth, and rising demand continue to put pressure on Pakistan’s already limited water resources. Investment needs in the water and sanitation sector also remain higher than the resources currently available.