Water crisis looms large in Pakistan

According to Indus River System Authority (IRSA), the water shortage of 23% has climbed to 32% in Sindh and Punjab, the country’s two largest provinces.

IRSA further noted that the water level in Mangla and Tarbela dams have reached almost dead level and the water storage in Tarbela dam is 475,000 acre feet.

The river system authority said that the total flow of water in rivers is 172,000 cusecs, while the discharge from dams is 168,000 cusecs.

The inflow of water in Indus River at Tarbela is 63 thousand cusecs and the outflow is 60 thousand cusecs, whereas the inflow and outflow of water in the Jhelum River at Mangla is 50,000 cusecs.

IRSA has also noted an extraordinary decrease in water flow in Chenab River. The inflow and outflow of water in the Chenab River at Marala is 25,000 cusecs and 5,000 cusecs respectively.

The water situation in the rivers is likely to improve in the next 72 hours, Irsa said

Earlier, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) placed Pakistan at "third" position in the list of countries facing acute water scarcity.