Pakistan: Sindh Irrigation Minister blames Imran Khan govt, IRSA for acute water shortage

Provincial Minister for Irrigation Sohail Anwar Sial on Wednesday blamed the federal government of Imran Khan and Indus River System Authority (IRSA) for the continued acute water shortage in Sindh and Balochistan.

Sial added that Prime Minister Imran Khan is unaware of the problems of the farmers, reported The News International.

Talking to media persons at Guddu Barrage, Sial said the Standing Committee in National Assembly had discussed the water quota issue, while more than three Million Acre Feet (MAF) of water of Sindh was being withheld by the federal government.

He said Sindh and Balochistan are facing acute irrigation water shortages and blamed that IRSA is helping other provinces steal Sindh's water share.

He invited relevant authorities to investigate and bring fore the facts to the nation, reported The News International.

Due to the lack of clean drinking water in Balochistan, the number of hepatitis cases has increased sharply in the region.

Moreover, Pakistan's per capita water availability has declined by 400 per cent from 5,600 cubic metres in 1947 to around 1,038 cubic metres in 2021, said Parliamentary Secretary National Health Services Dr Nausheen Hamid.

Noting that Pakistan was the fifth most populous country in the world, she said water scarcity was a "very serious threat" that will aggravate by 2025, leaving very limited water for use.

She also highlighted that inadequate supply of water further aggravated food security in the country.

Besides, quality of water is another issue and Pakistan is among the top 10 countries with the greatest number of people living without access to safe water.

Earlier this week, Experts warned that a famine-like situation may arise in Pakistan due to the scarcity of water across the country if the issue is not resolved timely, Geo News reported.

As per the report, water scarcity in the country has set alarm bells ringing after rivers have dried up due to low rainfall.

Water experts warn that if new water reservoirs are not created and water wastage is not stopped, Pakistan will face a famine-like situation.

( With inputs from ANI )

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