KARACHI: Chairman of National Business Group and President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum, Mian Zahid Hussain has said water scarcity should be tackled as a priority to improve the agricultural sector as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The pressing issue of water scarcity can no longer be ignored as it will amount to suicide, he said.

Mian Zahid Hussain said that water scarcity is increasing in Pakistan for decades which should get the attention of policymakers otherwise it will transform the country into a desert and not a single person will be immune from the problems.

He said that UN, IMF, and other international and local institutions have repeatedly warned about the issue but it has not attracted needed attention.

According to experts, Pakistan is more dependent on water than any other country while it is on the top in wastage of water and excess use for agriculture.

There is almost no infrastructure to store floodwater, a large quantity is wasted or stolen, the water table is receding due to overdependence on groundwater while a neighboring country continues to construct dams fanning the crisis, he observed.

He noted that climate change is also taking a toll on resources and agriculture, the distribution system is far from satisfactory and theft is rampant which must be tackled on priority.

Thousands of acres of land have been intruded by the sea in the districts of Badin and Thatta hitting farmers and fishermen and if scarcity continued it will destroy hundreds of thousands of fertile land, he warned.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021