ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday stated that the government’s ‘Recharge Pakistan’ initiative is actively working to cope with the risks associated with climate-induced flooding and minimise the effects of drought by employing ecosystem-based adaptation strategies.
In a message on World Water Day observed on March 22, he said “Through our Living Indus initiative, we are implementing 25 priority interventions—from promoting nature-based agriculture and restoring the Indus delta to curbing industrial pollution and investing in green infrastructure.”
“On World Water Day 2025 under the theme ‘Glacier Preservation’, we are reminded of the critical role glaciers play in sustaining our planet’s freshwater supplies and of the grave challenges we face in protecting this essential resource.”
PM urges global action to tackle water scarcity
“Water is the cornerstone of life; fundamental to our economies, our food systems, and our environment. Yet, this life-sustaining resource is under unprecedented stress,” he added.
“Nearly half of the global population experiences water scarcity for at least part of the year. Billions remain without access to clean drinking water, while water pollution continues to rise at alarming levels.”
“Our wetlands are disappearing three times faster than our forests. This is no longer a distant threat. It is a global crisis that demands immediate and collective action,” he said.
He emphasised that Pakistan depends on its glaciers, rivers, and aquifers, and is currently facing the swift impacts of climate change and rising population pressures on water resources, adding the devastating floods of 2022 continue to cast a long shadow, having caused extensive damage to the irrigation system and affecting millions of lives and livelihoods.
At the same time, droughts pose an equally serious threat — with nearly 80 per cent of our land categorised as arid or semi-arid, and 30 per cent of our population directly affected by drought-like conditions, he noted. “Pakistan is among the ten countries most vulnerable to climate change. Our average temperatures are projected to rise faster than the global average, he added.
“Over three-quarters of our water resources originate outside our borders. That is why Pakistan attaches great importance to transboundary water cooperation. In that backdrop, effective implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty is critical for Pakistan’s water security.”
He said, “on this World Water Day, let us reaffirm our resolve to preserve our glaciers, protect our water resources, and work together for a resilient, water-secure future—for our people, our region, and our planet.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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