The experts have spoken, Pakistan is heading towards a serious water crises and no one seems to be bothered. The issue is not of clean drinking water (Saaf Paani) alone, the entire system is under threat. Under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) three rivers were handed over to India that included Ravi, Beas and Sutlej while the contaminated Ruhe Nullah continues to flow into the country. It carries the contaminants of the Indians to which the local effluents are added before it enters the water-starved river bed of Ravi. It does not end here, the sewage of the city of Lahore also flows there untreated as all the treatment plants in the country are non-functional.

Ravi was once the lifeline of the city as it charged groundwater aquifers from where water could be pumped out at a shallow depth (50-100ft). On one hand, the water table is receding (200-300ft) while on the other, it is being contaminated by the unhindered flow of untreated water. This is a perfect example of a manmade disaster. Under the terms of IWT, more dams had to be built but the process stopped after Tarbela mainly because of the controversy over Kalabagh Dam. The water accord of 1991 should have cleared the air but it did not. According to experts, Pakistan will be a water-starved country by the year 2025. As a first step, the focus should be on separating clean and dirty water, followed by storage and conservation.

Ruhe Nullah’s contaminants should be analysed when they enter our soil, followed by treatment and analysis before they flow into Ravi. We have no right to contaminate the waterways of nature. Rivers are a sign of life which have been converted into agents of death. Functional and well-maintained sewage treatment plants are required at all points of entry into rivers and canals. Only after analysis and certification should grey water be allowed to mix with clean water. The picture here is indicative of the ground realities. Contaminated groundwater is pumped out for drinking. Then it goes through the quick fix and short-lived ‘filtration plants’ on which billions are wasted. Currently the Government of Punjab has budgeted Rs25 billion for this purpose which will go down the drain as in the two initiatives before.

According to my friend and fellow colleague in the shadow cabinet formed by Kaptaan in 2010, Dr Muhammed Shafique, each province should store its own water. There are natural storage areas which can be used. The mighty Indus can be converted into a perennial canal which can be a major source of this important resource. Through canals, the entire system can be linked to move water where required. India has already done this. The havoc caused by floodwater can then be converted into an important source of water. The challenge is complete utilisation of this resource before it drops into the sea near Karachi. Mangrove forests provide the parting line where sweet and sour waters meet.

Most civilisations flourished around rivers such as the Nile, Amazon, Rhine and Indus. Comrade Aitzaz Ahsan’s book “The Indus Saga” is an interesting read on this subject. Punjab, the land of five rivers, has already lost three, it should now be called ‘Doab’ and if the situation does not improve it may reach a state of ‘Noab’. Only contaminated water will then flow in its waterways, spreading disease and death. IWT was a raw deal for Pakistan as it was signed by a dictator against international laws covering lower riparian countries. While this was bad enough, the recovery has been even worse. Today, we suffer from crises of water, power and energy all lumped together.

The city of Lahore is incomplete without its Ravi. It is time to restore its grandeur. Currently it has become a sewage dump which poses a serious threat to humanity and aqua life. According to one of my Khaki friends, once he had to cross the river with his troops during an exercise. His uniform was so soiled with the stink of sewage that it had to be disposed. This water is then consumed by communities living downstream amongst whom water borne diseases and Hepatitis is common.

Life cannot survive without water. Its quality and quantity has to be ensured to sustain humanity. Mismanagement of this vital resource cannot continue for long. Karachi, the largest and most populated city is already facing the crunch. Both circuits have become non-functional with Lahore not much far behind. Clean water does not come through outdated and dilapidated iron pipes and used water should not flow through clogged sewer lines which have never been cleaned. Every year, before monsoons, WASA’s claims of making all necessary arrangements for disposal of rainwater are proven false. The city of Lahore is inundated while Shahbaz Sharif in his boots and hat is shown standing in knee deep rainwater. Are we progressing as a nation or regressing? With the quality of leadership that we currently have, I think it is more of the latter.