Government orders immediate lockdown in wake of unfolding emergency: 'This isn't the first time'

Pakistan is taking drastic action in the face of an escalating crisis: a nationwide rationing to conserve water. Aik News reported that the country's water levels have plunged so low that only drinking water is left in some regions, putting crops at serious risk with the coming of the Kharif — also known as monsoon or autumn — season.

Now, the government is stepping in with extreme measures to conserve water.

What's happening?

In an urgent attempt to slow the crisis, the Indus River System Authority has modified its traditional three-phase water allocation strategy to cut back seasonal water consumption. The organization is planning water releases on a monthly basis. For April, IRSA allocated water only for drinking supplies, approving a 43% system shortfall, as Aik News reported.

Major rivers such as the Indus are shrinking, and reservoirs are drying up at alarming rates. What was once a water-abundant country has become a water-stressed country because of the overuse of underground water from the Indus Basin aquifer, the country's dependence on the Indus River system, population growth, urbanization, glacial melt, and the changing climate.

The ongoing drought prompted IRSA to warn the country's two main breadbaskets, Punjab and Sindh, to prepare for water shortages of up to 35%.

Why is the water shortage important?

Pakistan's crisis is a stark warning of what's at stake globally as climate extremes intensify. Water shortages can lead to economic decline and damaged ecosystems, including vanishing wetlands.

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Rising temperatures are expected to reduce freshwater resources significantly over the next few decades. Strengthening climate resilience measures, such as water conservation and sustainable farming practices, is essential to avoid similar emergencies elsewhere.

What's being done about the water shortage?

The Pakistani government has ramped up efforts to enforce strict water rationing and invest in conservation campaigns. Nongovernmental organizations are stepping in to introduce sustainable water management practices and provide tools such as drip irrigation systems to help farmers survive the shortages.

Individuals can make a lasting impact with small changes including using water-saving devices and cutting back on daily water use.

As one Reddit user shared a year ago in the r/karachi subreddit, "This isn't the first time we have been dealing with this problem, it has been ongoing for decades!"