Aima Khan
The recent catastrophic flood of the Swat River was a disaster waiting to happen, claiming 12 innocent lives and exposing the cold, hard facts of unchecked development, administrative negligence, and environmental degradation that sparked this tragedy.
Floods and droughts exist side by side. This isn’t nature’s wrath; it’s the price of human neglect. Water is disappearing. Forests are being cut down. Cities are expanding without a conscience. And what is the government’s response? Maintaining silence when action is most needed.
Pakistan is trapped in a cruel paradox — oscillating between severe devastating floods and water shortages. In 2022 alone, more than 30 million people were displaced by catastrophic rains, while the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) warns that the country could face absolute water scarcity within this decade. This crisis is not just climatic; it is systemic. Decades of poor planning, short-sighted policies, and political apathy have left us dangerously unprepared for a disaster that is already unfolding.
The obsession with concrete and construction, particularly the rapid development of housing societies, is costing nature heavily. In just 20 years, Islamabad, which was formerly celebrated for its lush greenery, has lost about 20% of its forest cover. These days, housing societies are infiltrating the Margalla Hills’ slopes while ignoring the long-term adverse ecological consequences and violating environmental regulations. According to Global Forest Watch, Pakistan has lost 4.1% of its tree cover between 2001 and 2023. In addition to providing serene surroundings, these forests served as organic barriers against flooding, air pollution, and rising temperatures.
The destruction extends well beyond the capital. In Punjab, the story is equally bleak. Over the span of ten years, housing developments are estimated to have taken up 20 to 30 per cent of the province’s agricultural land. These developments often pose as progress and development, but they come at a high cost. Concrete replaces crops. Food prices rise. Urban flooding worsens. Shopping malls and gated communities have buried the land that once sustained all of us.
Pakistan’s water issue stems from internal mismanagement and geopolitical factors, particularly disputes with India over the Indus Waters Treaty. India’s upstream dam and hydropower projects on shared rivers like Chenab and Jhelum have raised concerns in Pakistan, especially during dry spells, potentially altering water flows and endangering downstream agriculture. However, despite these ongoing tensions, Pakistan has failed to take strong diplomatic or strategic action to secure its water resources.
Moreover, we also need to examine ourselves. Water conservation, irrigation efficiency, and the construction of dams have not been given priority by successive governments. Our current canals’ antiquated infrastructure causes them to leak more than 60% of the water they carry. Urban areas waste clean water for building and car washes, while rural areas often walk to obtain undrinkable water. Instead of modern water recycling systems or collecting rainwater for use, we have grand inaugurations for water filtration plants that break down within months.
Despite the urgency of the crisis, the current PML-N government has failed to take the lead on climate resilience or long-term environmental planning. Degradation of the environment is still viewed as a side issue, a chance for a news release rather than a top policy concern. Plantation drives turn into possibilities for pictures. Urban development plans ignore ecological impact assessments. There is no national water strategy, no serious reforestation campaign, and no accountability for those encroaching on protected lands.
Even more troubling, when environmental catastrophes occur, they are used as a means of financial exploitation and political influence. Millions of people were left homeless by the 2022 floods. Millions of dollars were donated for relief. Tents and food rations, nevertheless, vanished from the site practically as fast as they arrived. Ineffectiveness and extensive corruption in Pakistan’s flood management were brought to light by reports in Human Rights Watch and Al Jazeera. The tragedy wasn’t just the flood itself, but how the system failed people in the aftermath.
And what about the general public? Our inaction contributes to the issue. We remain peaceful when trees are chopped down in our towns and cities, when rivers are filled with sewage, when agricultural land dissipates into concrete. Climate change seems excessively vast, too abstract, and too detached from our everyday lives—until our houses are under water, our faucets run dry, or our crops fail.
The need for change is clear – we can’t afford to wait. The choices we make now will shape a sustainable future for decades to come. We must push for sustainable urban planning, stronger climate leadership, and responsible development. If not now, then the only option left will be facing the harsh consequences of our inaction, from floods and droughts to environmental disasters and economic instability.
With all that being said, as Pakistan’s water crisis worsens, one question remains: how much more damage will we allow before we take action? Pakistan’s water crisis is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of human neglect and environmental degradation. As the country struggles with the challenges of climate change, it is crucial for us to incorporate a more sustainable and responsible approach to development, mitigating the impact of future emergencies and building a more resilient future for generations to come.
The writer is an educationist and a freelance journalist. Twitter: @aimaimrankhan
