Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor on Sunday called for an urgent overhaul of Pakistan’s outdated irrigation system, terming it essential to mitigate the growing water crisis and bolster the country’s agriculture-based economy.
Addressing a gathering in the city, he stressed that the deteriorating water situation poses a severe threat to national stability, according to a statement.
‘Pakistan is facing acute water shortages and is now categorized among water-deficient nations,’ Mr. Shakoor said, adding that the crisis had led to the non-utilization of vast tracts of arable land. ‘We have become a net importer of food, and this grim reality underlines the urgent need for constructing more dams and water reservoirs.’
Mr. Shakoor highlighted the contrast between Pakistan’s slow progress and the rapid water infrastructure development seen in neighboring countries. ‘While nations like China and India are building thousands of dams and canals, Pakistan lags behind,’ he said. He urged the federal and provincial governments to expedite all delayed dam and canal projects and prioritize the construction of new check-dams and flood canals in every province.
To ensure a fair distribution of water resources, Shakoor proposed the introduction of a third-party telemetry audit system. He also recommended cement-lining of the existing canal networks to reduce water wastage, emphasizing the need to stop the loss of every water drop.
The PDP chairman advocated for a shift to more sustainable irrigation methods, such as drip irrigation, instead of relying on traditional flood farming. He stressed the importance of rainwater.
He said desalination of salty water could boost our agriculture besides introducing the culture of saline water crops. He said: “Many countries are now turning to saline water crops to boost their agriculture.”
PDP chairman demanded that a National Water Council should be made on the pattern of SIFC to ensure construction of new dams and canals in every nook and corner of the country.