Golf is a game for the wealthy. Constructing a golf course typically requires 150 acres of deforested land and enormous sums for construction and maintenance. On average, a single course consumes about 450 litres of water per day.

I was surprised to learn that Pakistan has around 150 golf courses—covering roughly 23,000 acres and consuming 66,000 litres of water daily. Given that our economy relies heavily on agriculture and the country is grappling with water scarcity, the proliferation of golf courses is difficult to justify.

I urge the government to enact legislation banning the construction of new golf courses and to consider shutting down those that are underused. No more than 50 courses should operate at any one time, and their water usage should be heavily taxed to discourage wastage.

SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER, P.ENGR.,

Islamabad.