Pakistan is one of the world’s most arid countries. The Indus River is the country’s only major river system. Pakistan’s economic and social wellbeing is built on this water system despite the scant average annual rainfall of just 240 millimeters. Over the years, Pakistan has harnessed the Indus River to bring 35.7 million acres under irrigation to cultivate land in otherwise desert conditions. Today, the country has the world’s largest irrigation system, one of great technical, institutional and social complexity. This irrigated agriculture system accounts for a 1/4 of the country’s GDP, 2/3 of employment and about 80% of exports. Nature and development surrounding the Indus River present great contrasts:
- The abundant waters of the kharif (summer) season versus the dry rabi (winter) season
- The fresh waters of the monsoon rainfall and snow melt versus the destructive salts leached from the soil and left behind by evaporation of fresh water
- Between farmers living closer to the source of river or canal flows versus those at the tail end
In sharp contrast to the peaks of the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas at the headwaters of the Indus River, the Indus valley plain flattens out dramatically as it runs to the sea. The very low rainfall, poor drainage, ancient marine deposits, saline groundwater, and evaporation and transpiration combine to create a vast salt sink. The steady expansion of irrigation and agriculture added greatly to this process of accumulating salt that over time waterlogging and soil salinity have emerged to threaten the sustainability of Pakistan’s agricultural system. Pakistan is currently experiencing water stress and will soon face outright water scarcity. High population growth is causing ‘water stress.’ Pakistan is using almost all its water resources and no more are available. If something goes drastically wrong with the salt/sediment/water balance of the Indus system, there is no other river system in the region to draw on. |
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