Pakistan’s water crisis is no surprise. Recent research and stats declared that water reserves stand at 0.220 million acres feet. As a result of this both Sindh and Punjab are expected to face up to 51% water shortage. This later also revealed a large gap between the capacity of the reservoirs to store water and the inflow. It is also expected that Pakistan may be completely out of water by 2025.
As a result of these alarmingly low water levels in the country, a new campaign has recently spurred. The more rural areas of Pakistan have experienced an increase in their death rate because of a lack of clean drinking water, much less anything else.
Despite the scare that has been hitting the city are spasms, no concerted nor any tangible efforts seem to be made on the part of the people responsible. Several of the major political parties so far haven’t even mentioned the water crisis as an upcoming matter of precariousness for the country. The problem does not appear to be a concern for any of the major political leaders. The water reserves are being contaminated by all the industrial waste making available water incredibly dangerous for the health of those consuming it.
It’s mid-June and these images are of Rawal Dam, the only source of water supply for Rawalpindi/Islamabad. #PakistanWaterCrisis pic.twitter.com/7aMh7AgpHS — Ali Salman Alvi (@alisalmanalvi) June 21, 2018
There’s alarmingly high level of arsenic contamination in Pakistan’s ground water. Primary reason for rising level of arsenic is flood irrigation. It helps released arsenic in ground to seep into aquifer, contaminating the ground water. #PakistanWaterCrisis pic.twitter.com/4JTEBdFUtZ — Pakistan Water Crisis (@PakWaterCrisis) June 14, 2018
If we don’t act now, according to World Resources Institute, Pakistan would be facing very high water stress by 2040. We are already among most water stressed countries of the world. Let’s save/conserve the water we have and build more reservoirs.#PakistanWaterCrisis pic.twitter.com/1NKfG73IFV — Pakistan Water Crisis (@PakWaterCrisis) June 4, 2018
No politician, not one in charge, nor those in the running are being held accountable for the above. Water is life-affirming and depriving a vast population of it means inflicting death upon them. And such has been the fate of many. The #PaaniDoVoteLo movement has called this lack of concern nothing short of a slow genocide. A water apartheid. As a result, they have decided to take matters into their own hands. Political leaders striving to take votes are being given an agenda. Provide water and get our votes. To make this statement loud and clear, they’ve organized a movement on Sunday the 1st of July in the Lahore Press Club.
Severable notables have already aligned themselves with the movement.
Prominent human rights activist, Hina Jilani has to say the following about the upcoming protest. https://www.facebook.com/haqooqekhalq/videos/475570192880986/?fref=mentions
A respected member of the legal fraternity, Salman Akram Raja, has also joined the cause and will be releasing his detailed stance on the protest shortly.
This movement is truly for the rights of the people and the fight is being fought by the people themselves.
Here are the members of the movement confronting the infamous Khawaja Saad Rafique at his corner meeting. https://www.facebook.com/haqooqekhalq/videos/475871376184201/ This movement is to ensure those in power know and are aware that the population of Pakistan has had enough and will not be silent any longer. They will gather to demand the candidates to explain their stance and discernment towards a matter that takes lives on a daily basis. Lives that go unnoticed and undocumented. Haqooq-e-Khalq wants you to join them to end this preemptive water crisis that isn’t that far gone anymore. 