The federal government has established a high-level task force co-chaired by Federal Ministers Dr Musadik Malik (Climate Change) and Muhammad Moeen Wattoo (Water Resources) to address escalating water scarcity and its impact on Rabi and Kharif crops. The task force held its first meeting in Islamabad on Thursday to outline urgent strategies including rainwater harvesting, reducing water wastage, and pilot programs for drought-affected farmers.
Dr Malik emphasized the need to monitor both domestic and cross-border water flows amid regional uncertainties that could disrupt supplies. The task force will analyze 40 years of hydrological data to identify trends and guide policy, aiming to develop practical, forward-looking measures to counter current and future shortages.
Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) reported that inflows and outflows in major reservoirs and rivers such as Tarbela, Mangla, Chashma, and the Indus and Jhelum rivers remain variable. Current storage levels include 1.587 million acre-feet at Tarbela and 1.534 million acre-feet at Mangla, with a total usable water storage of 3.395 million acre-feet across key reservoirs.
The task force’s findings are expected to shape national water conservation and climate adaptation strategies critical to safeguarding Pakistan’s food security and economy, where agriculture consumes 90 percent of freshwater resources.
