ISLAMABAD: With the Kharif season set to begin in a few days, an unprecedented water shortage has left authorities with no choice but to limit supplies strictly to drinking purposes for the month of April.
A meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) on Wednesday decided to review the situation in May before making further allocations. Officials warned that dams are empty, river flows have dropped sharply, and snow deposits are insufficient, raising serious concerns for irrigation planning.
“There is no water in dams, river flows have plunged, and fewer snow deposits on mountains are not promising improved flows,” an official said, emphasizing the severity of the crisis. Water shortfall at rim stations stands at 51% and exceeds 60% at provincial canal heads.
Irsa, which typically allocates water for the season in three phases, has now shifted to a month-by-month assessment, an unusual move driven by worsening climatic conditions. The committee approved a 43% system shortfall for April, with further shortages likely to be confirmed next month.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reported below-normal rainfall and higher-than-usual temperatures across the country’s northern and southern regions. Snowfall in the Indus and Jhelum catchment areas was 31% lower than normal, leading to weaker river inflows.
Punjab and Sindh agreed to the one-month water allocation, but Sindh objected to the three-tier water distribution formula, demanding that water shares be calculated under para-2 of the Water Accord. Under this method, shortages would exceed 55% for April.
With the Kharif cropping season—which runs from April to September—about to begin, the crisis poses a serious threat to key crops such as rice, sugarcane, cotton, maize, and mash. Irrigation experts warn that if conditions do not improve, the impact on agriculture could be severe.
