Pakistan's former minister raises alarm over water decline in Indus River

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 10 : Pakistan Senator and former Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman has raised serious alarms about the unprecedented water crisis in the Indus River system, which is currently experiencing its lowest water levels in over 100 years, Dawn reported.
In a powerful call to action, Senator Rehman, who chairs the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, described the situation as a national emergency, urging the public and political figures not to politicize the issue. She emphasized that the Indus River is "drying up before our eyes" due to a combination of factors, primarily accelerating climate change.
Highlighting the alarming statistics, Senator Rehman noted that rainfall in the region has decreased by 40 percent, further exacerbating the water shortage. The situation is most critical at the Sukkur Barrage, where water levels have dropped by a staggering 71 percent. Overall, the water supply across all three major barrages is down by 65 percent, a dramatic and concerning decline, as reported by Dawn.
Rehman criticized the current response to the crisis, pointing out that rather than taking steps to conserve the rapidly dwindling water resources, excessive canal extractions are being carried out, which is only depleting the water levels of the Indus further. She called for an immediate and collective national effort to address the crisis, stressing the need for urgent coordination between the provincial governments and the federal authorities to tackle the water shortages.
Reaffirming the Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) commitment to safeguarding the rights of citizens, Senator Rehman emphasized that her party would continue to fight for the people's right to access water. She also called on the federal government to declare the water shortage a climate emergency and urged for a prompt meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the worsening water crisis.
Rehman's statements come at a time when the country is facing an unprecedented climate challenge, making it clear that immediate, coordinated action is necessary to ensure the survival and sustainability of the water resources vital for millions of people across Pakistan.