LAHORE  -  The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has raised alarm over Pakistan’s worsening water crisis, calling for urgent, coordinated and comprehensive action plan to prevent an impending disaster.

LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad, Senior Vice President Engineer Khalid Usman and Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry feared catastrophic implications of declining water resources and called for the critical need for constructing the Kalabagh Dam as a long-term solution to mitigate the crisis. They said that Pakistan’s water resources are diminishing at an unprecedented rate, with per capita availability dropping from 5,600 cubic meters in 1951 to below 1,000 cubic meters today, pushing the country into the water-scarce category. Groundwater, which accounts for approximately 60% of the country’s water consumption, is being over-exploited. In Lahore alone, the water table is sinking by 1.5 to 2.5 meters annually, threatening the availability of this critical resource for future generations.

LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad warned of the far-reaching consequences of the water crisis on Pakistan’s economy, food security and public health. He said that without water, there is no agriculture, no industry and no sustainable livelihood. Our inability to store and manage water effectively results in billions of dollars in economic losses annually, particularly due to unutilized floodwaters and recurring droughts. He said that the Kalabagh Dam is not merely a development project but a strategic necessity to ensure water and energy security.

The LCCI office-bearers underscored the transformational impact of building the Kalabagh Dam. They said that currently, Pakistan can store only 10% of its annual river flows, compared to India’s 40%. The Kalabagh Dam can store 6.1 million acre-feet of water, enough to irrigate millions of acres of farmland and significantly reduce flood damage. Additionally, the dam would generate 3,600 MW of low-cost hydropower and reduce reliance on expensive thermal energy and curbing energy shortages. They also stressed the need for a unified and collaborative approach to address the crisis. The water issue transcends political boundaries and must be treated as a matter of national survival. Provincial reservations regarding the Kalabagh Dam must be resolved through dialogue as the dam’s benefits are universal and far-reaching. They also advocated for adopting modern water management practices, including smart irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting and better urban water planning.

The LCCI leaders presented a comprehensive set of recommendations to address Pakistan’s water crisis saying that the government should expedite the construction of not just the Kalabagh Dam but also other small and medium-sized reservoirs to enhance storage capacity. They suggested transition from water-intensive flood irrigation methods to modern systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, which can save up to 50% water. The LCCI office-bearers said that strict regulations should be enforced to prevent illegal and excessive groundwater extraction. Nationwide campaigns should be launched to educate the public and industries on water conservation practices. They added that the government should strengthen water management institutions to ensure efficient allocation and usage of water resources.

The LCCI leadership also linked the water crisis to the growing impacts of climate change making Pakistan increasingly vulnerable to erratic rainfall patterns, glacial melting and extreme weather events. They said that climate change has made water scarcity an existential threat for Pakistan. Without building reservoirs like Kalabagh Dam, the country will continue to face catastrophic floods during monsoon seasons and acute shortages during dry spells.

The LCCI leaders said that the delaying action on water management would have dire consequences for the nation. They said that Pakistan loses over $12 billion annually due to water-related inefficiencies. This includes losses from flood damage, decreased agricultural productivity and energy shortages. These are costs the nation can no longer afford. The LCCI leadership appealed to policymakers to prioritize water resource management on a war footing. They said that the construction of the Kalabagh Dam and the adoption of modern water conservation techniques are not just solutions—they are the key to Pakistan’s survival and prosperity. If we fail to act now, the consequences will be irreversible.