Pakistan Faces 30% Water Shortage as Kharif Season Begins. Experts urge immediate reforms as climate change and mismanagement deepen water crisis

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has entered the Kharif (summer cropping) season with a worrying 30% water shortage, a crisis attributed to lower-than-usual winter snowfall and ongoing climatic shifts. The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has flagged the issue, expressing hope that upcoming monsoon rains may help ease the shortfall in the latter half of the season.

The situation, which has become an annual recurrence, disproportionately affects smallholder farmers, especially those situated at the tail ends of canal systems. The persistent water stress often fuels tensions between provinces, particularly Sindh and Punjab, over distribution formulas and water rights.

Adding to the alarm, the United Nations’ Global Water Security Assessment has classified Pakistan as “critically water-insecure,” citing severe declines in per capita water availability driven by population growth, poor infrastructure, and climate change.

“Nearly 97% of Pakistan’s freshwater is consumed by agriculture, mostly through inefficient flood irrigation,” experts note. “Modern, eco-friendly irrigation technologies could significantly reduce waste and improve crop yields.”

In addition, experts emphasize that upgrading outdated irrigation infrastructure is vital. Currently, the country loses an estimated 40% of its water to evaporation, leakage, and theft—losses that could be prevented with focused investment and better governance.

However, ongoing political instability, economic uncertainty, and interprovincial disagreements continue to stall crucial water sector reforms, leaving millions vulnerable to worsening scarcity.

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