ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s lifeline — the Indus Basin Water System — is under mounting strain from upstream pressures, climate change and crumbling infrastructure, while more than 80% of its population remains without safe drinking water, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has warned in its latest Asian Water Development Outlook.
The report identifies Pakistan as a severely water-stressed country, with per capita water availability now 35% below global benchmarks. Rapid population growth has pushed availability down from 3,500 cubic metres in 1972 to just 1,100 cubic metres in 2020 — far below the minimum safe threshold of 1,700 cubic metres.
The ADB highlighted that upstream water controls and weak infrastructure continue to threaten the Indus system, though it did not comment on whether these challenges relate to India’s past threats regarding water flows. It warned that poor water management, climate pressures and accelerating demand are rapidly worsening the crisis.
Over 80% of Pakistanis lack access to safe drinking water, with widespread waterborne diseases resulting from contamination and depleted groundwater. Over-extraction in agriculture has caused alarming declines in aquifer levels, along with arsenic contamination. Pakistan’s sanitation and hygiene infrastructure also remains inadequate, with open defecation still prevalent in some regions.
The country’s water security score has remained nearly stagnant across ADB’s 2016, 2020 and 2025 assessments, keeping Pakistan in the “Engaged” category. Despite being an agriculture-driven economy, progress is hindered by inefficient water use, weak industrial systems and limited infrastructure upgrades.
Urban and rural water systems continue to struggle with ageing pipelines, poor planning and major service delivery gaps. Pakistan’s drainage score remains at the lowest possible level due to underinvestment, haphazard land conversion and rising flash-flood risks. Urban encroachment on floodplains is steadily increasing disaster vulnerability.
Environmental water security has deteriorated slightly because of untreated wastewater, expanding industrial activity and pressure on aquatic ecosystems. Water-related disasters — including major floods, droughts and glacial lake outburst floods — remain a persistent threat.
Despite these challenges, Pakistan has made some governance gains. Its overall water security score improved by 6.4 points between 2013 and 2025, and water governance performance rose from 50% in 2017 to 63% in 2023. However, implementation remains weak due to fragmented institutions, low technical capacity and chronic underinvestment.
The ADB warned that Pakistan’s financing for water governance is “woefully inadequate”. Although WASH funding rose by 152% between 2019 and 2023, PSDP allocations totalled just Rs1.5 trillion — far below the Rs10–12 trillion needed over the next decade.
To address the crisis, ADB recommended strengthening coordination under the National Water Council, adopting volumetric pricing, embedding gender and social inclusion into water decisions, establishing an independent water-quality authority and expanding environmental regulations.
The report also noted South Asia’s growing exposure to extreme weather, with 244 major floods and 104 droughts recorded between 2013 and 2023. Across Asia, an estimated $4 trillion is required between 2025 and 2040 to meet water, sanitation and hygiene needs — but current budgets meet only 40% of the requirement, leaving an annual funding shortfall of over $150 billion.
