The Ticking Bomb: Navigating Pakistan’s Water Crisis

Pakistan is no longer merely water-stressed; it is standing on the precipice of absolute water scarcity. As of 2026, the country’s per capita water availability has plummeted to roughly 660 cubic meters, a staggering decline from the 5,000 cubic meters at the time of independence.

This means we now have approximately 1,800 liters of water per person per day, while an average Pakistani consuming a daily 2100 calorie diet, actually needs 2500-3500 liters of water per day just to produce the food they eat. It is no wonder then that more than 40% of children under 5 years of age in Pakistan have stunted growth.

In addition to this, by international standards, every human needs about 150 liters of water per day for bathing, drinking and cleaning, whereas over half the population has access to only 30-50 liters of water per person per day. More water is also needed to clothe us, run job-providing industries, and provide basic health and infrastructure.

The roots of this crisis are multi-layered. While climate change is the most visible culprit, systemic mismanagement and a lack of infrastructure play equally devastating roles. Pakistan’s population has surged past 240 million, placing an unsustainable burden on a water system designed for a fraction of that size. Meanwhile, Pakistan can only store enough water for about 30 days, far below the international benchmark of 120 days. This means that during heavy monsoons, billions of dollars’ worth of water flow unused into the Arabian Sea, only for the country to face drought conditions a few months later.

In our agricultural sector, the wasteful flood irrigation method remains the norm despite being one of the most inefficient practices globally. Nearly 60% of water is lost to seepage and evaporation before it even reaches a crop. In cities like Karachi and Lahore, the groundwater table is receding at an alarming rate sometimes by more than a meter per year as residents and industries pump water faster than the earth can recharge.

To survive this, we must shift our paradigm from water supply to water demand management. This includes adopting drip irrigation, lining our canals to prevent seepage, and implementing strict urban water metering. We must recognize that water is not an infinite gift but a finite resource that requires rigorous governance.

This sense of urgency is at the heart of the Voices from the Roof of the World climate the rapidly melting glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region the very pillars that hold up our water supply the series illustrates how the environmental health of our northern peaks dictates the survival of every citizen downstream. It also shows us how our purely reactive strategies to the impacts of climate change in our rural hinterland and major cities are doing little to mitigate or adapt to these threats.  It reminds us that if the roof of our world continues to crumble, it will bury us all as it falls.

Cyrus Viccaji is a content creator and educator who grew up in Karachi, Pakistan. He studied Communication Design from The Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture with a focus on photography and filmmaking. He went on to work at Pakistan’s first English News channel, as a reporter and producer, cameraman and editor.