Climate change to effect water, agriculture productivity negatively.

PESHAWAR -- Vulnerable to climate change, Pakistan was likely to witness an acute shortage of water for domestic, industrial and agricultural consumption in the next few years mainly due to changing weather patterns including a decrease in rains and snowfall.

According to Met Office, Pakistan recorded 77 percent below rainfall in February last against the total normal downpour due to climate change-induced weather patterns and global warming, adding that 67 percent less rainfall was recorded in Azad Kashmir, 36pc below in Gilgit Baltistan, 54 percent less in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 90per cent less in Punjab and no rainfall in Sindh and Balochistan.

Similarly, in January last, 21 percent below normal rainfall was recorded in the country due to climate change. Out of the total rainfalls, 39 percent less rainfall was reported in Balochistan, 12 percent less in Gilgit Baltistan, 35 percent below in Punjab and 85 percent less in Sindh province. However, KP and Azad Kashmir have received 11 percent more rainfall each during the period apparently due to increase forest cover.

Giving details of snowfall recorded in the winter season, the Met official told reporter that from October 2022 till date, about 135 inches of snowfall was recorded in Malam Jabba, 122 inches in Kalam in Swat, 66 inches in Astore, 51 inches at Babusar top, 36 inches in Murree, 35 inches in Chitral, 24 inch in Ziarat and 23 inches in Skardu.

The Met Office predicted that there would be no rainfall across the country till March 20, however, a rainfall system was likely to be developed in Middle East after March 20 hoping to bring downpour in Pakistan.

The water scarcity was posing a looming threat for Pakistan due to insufficient rainfall and snowfalls this winter as the country largely depends on glaciers to fulfill its consumable water need. The National Water Policy 2018 has revealed that Pakistan was gradually heading towards water stress due to climate change-induced weather patterns and shortage of dams, which might lead to food insecurity for living creatures in near future.

According to the policy, per capita surface, water availability has declined from 5,260 cubic meters per year in 1951 to around 1,000 cubic meters in 2016 and this quantity would likely further drop to 860 cubic meters by 2025.

The policy warned that the groundwater situation was expected to further drop in the country mostly in Punjab and Sindh provinces, where one million tube wells were currently...