Stakeholders urge 20% budget allocation for water sector

LAHORE:

Stakeholders from across the country have urged the federal and provincial governments to allocate at least 20% of development spending to the water sector in the FY 2026-27 budgets, warning that worsening water insecurity now poses a direct threat to national survival.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, experts, farmers and public representatives said continued under-investment in water infrastructure was endangering food security, energy stability, public health and long-term economic sustainability.

The statement was endorsed by Mohsin Leghari from DG Khan, Hassan Ali Chanihu from Sanghar, Farooq Bajwa from Sialkot, Muhammad Ehsan from Kohat, Zeeshanul Rab from Karachi, Agha Nasir from Quetta, Ayub Mayo from Lahore and Mubashar Choudhry from Layyah.

The stakeholders said intensifying climate stress, declining water storage capacity and rising trans-boundary water uncertainties were placing unprecedented pressure on Pakistan's water system.

They pointed out that the federal PSDP for FY 2025-26 allocated only Rs133.4 billion to the Water Resources Division, amounting to just 13% of the total Rs1 trillion development budget and reflecting a 27% decrease from the previous year's allocation of Rs184.6 billion.

Calling the reduction alarming, the stakeholders demanded that federal water-sector allocations be increased to at least Rs200 billion in FY 2026-27, alongside substantial increases in provincial Annual Development Programmes.

Citing reports from the State Bank of Pakistan and the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), the stakeholders said Pakistan's major reservoirs, including Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma, currently store water sufficient for only 30 days compared to the international benchmark of 120 days.