Water Scarcity Deepens in Pakistan with Per Capita Availability Below 800 Cubic Meters

Farheen ul Aas

Islamabad: Government officials, environmental experts and civil society representatives gathered in Islamabad for the second consultative workshop under the SDG 6.6.1 project, aimed at protecting and restoring water-related ecosystems in Pakistan.

The workshop was organised by Pakistan Water Partnership in collaboration with the Global Climate Change Impact Studies Centre under the Ministry of Climate Change.

Participants included representatives from government institutions, academia, civil society organisations and journalists working on environmental issues.

Rising Water Scarcity and Climate Threats

Opening the workshop, Aaf Gohar, executive director of the Global Climate Change Impact Studies Centre, said water is a fundamental human need and right, but access to it is becoming increasingly difficult.

According to him, Pakistan’s per capita water availability has fallen below 800 cubic meters, placing the country among nations facing severe water scarcity.

He noted that climate change remains one of the key drivers of the crisis. If global temperatures rise by 4°C by the end of the century, Pakistan could face a temperature increase of more than 5°C, intensifying pressure on water resources.

Gohar added that rising temperatures are putting glaciers under severe stress and highlighted the need for a national heat strategy to address the growing risks.

He also stressed the importance of strengthening systems such as Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) to better utilise existing resources and funding models.

Objectives of the SDG 6.6.1 Project

Muhammad Owais, country coordinator of Pakistan Water Partnership, outlined the objectives of the initiative.

He explained that United Nations Environment Programme had been tasked with working with countries to monitor and protect ecosystems linked to water resources.

As part of the programme, Peru, Malawi and Pakistan were selected to improve water-related data collection, policy frameworks and practical implementation strategies.

According to Owais, the project will continue until 2026, with ongoing consultations involving stakeholders through the Ministry of Climate Change’s Global Climate Change Impact Studies Centre and Pakistan Water Partnership.

Developing a National Implementation Roadmap

Ahmed Kamal, former chairman of the Federal Flood Commission, said the main objective of the consultative process is to develop a Country Implementation Roadmap.

The roadmap will identify priority actions and highlight areas where institutional systems need improvement to better manage water resources.

Technical expert Dr Muhammad Akasha said the project aims to create a comprehensive implementation plan to achieve water-related targets by 2030.

The plan will include governance reforms, policy development and consultations with stakeholders at the grassroots level.

Data Gaps and Policy Challenges

Dr Qurrat ul Ain, national focal person for SDG 6.6.1, delivered a detailed presentation highlighting the importance of water ecosystems for livelihoods and national security.

She warned that pollution is severely affecting water sources across the country.

Dr Qurrat ul Ain also pointed to a major challenge facing Pakistan: the lack of reliable and consistent data on water resources. She said the country has yet to reach a stage where verified and widely accepted water data can be consistently provided.

Way Forward

Participants at the workshop agreed that the consultative process will help develop a national strategy outlining implementation timelines and clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of relevant institutions.

The proposed Country Implementation Plan will later be presented to the government for approval in a high-level meeting.

Experts emphasised that restoring water-related ecosystems requires strong government leadership, effective policy frameworks, financial resources and technical capacity.

The SDG 6.6.1 project will continue until 2026, providing national-level guidance for the protection and restoration of Pakistan’s water ecosystems.

---