People of Pakistan are more concerned about matters which directly affect them. True that the impeachment of Musharraf or the restoration of Justice Iftikhar Chaudary will determine the future of Pakistan, but all are aware of the games being played behind the curtain and the legitimacy or the illegitimacy of the actions, realizing that whatever the outcome might be, it will be in favor of the one in power.
Nonetheless, issues like power shortage, food inflation and water shortage, a new addition to the list of miseries, has certainly been creating ripples in our economy for quite sometime.
Amongst all, food inflation tops the list since people, before anything, need to have a well-fed or atleast partly-fed stomach. However, the shortage of staple crops, mainly rice and wheat in the market has introduced people to stark hunger. A common man whose monthly income is Rs. 4000 to Rs. 6000 or even less, has to feed several hungry mouths is well aware of the agony that he has to go through everyday.
Inspite of bumper crop claims, the country seems to be having inadequate amount of food to meet the consumption level. Many are of the view that the claims were phony to hide the loopholes of the government’s policies regarding the agricultural sector. On the other hand many believe that indeed there is a bumper crop, but due to hoarders, the market is going through artificial food shortage.Several don’t fail to point out that even after the food shortage; rice is still being smuggled to India and Afghanistan.
Whatever the reason maybe, now there is another factor standing straight to add to the miseries of food shortage and that is water deficiency.
According to official government reports the per capita availability of water has gradually dwindled from 5,260-cubic meters in 1951 to 1,100-cubic meters in the current years, and is estimated to reach 550-cubic meters in 2025. Although, the rising population has played a major part in bringing the figures down, still the concerned authorities should have been wise enough to act according to the circumstances.
According to the World Bank, Pakistan is currently close to using up all its surface and ground water.
Nowadays, the major concern for the people of Sindh is water shortage the command area of Kotri Barrage. According to press reports, the available water at Kotri Barrage is only 9,600 cusec as against its requirement of 26,000 cusec in accordance with Water Accord 1991. The shortage has resulted on delay of paddy sowing by almost a month. Under normal circumstances, it starts between June 1 and 10 and almost 100 per cent sowing is completed within days but given persistent water shortage only 12 to 14 per cent sowing had been done so far. Moreover, the wheat production fell down by 10 per cent, which the growers believed would have been more if climatic conditions had not been favorable. Claims are being made that there is sufficient water for irrigation, if not more, but Wapda has illegally drawn it to meet the energy shortage, another crisis amplified by water scarcity.
It is high time that our leaders shake themselves out from the reverie of being in Tom Cruise’s shoes and carrying out ‘mission impossible’. Instead they have to set their priorities right by unraveling issues which are negatively impacting the day to day life of a commoner. They have to follow in the Sindh’s government footsteps which gave a green signal to build 32 small dams and water reservoirs in the province on a war footing to store rain and additional water. Musharraf might be ousted and Iftikhar Chaudary might be restored to his former position giving democracy a chance to prevail in Pakistan. But what good would it do if Pakistan, God forbid, becomes another Somalia or Ethiopia? It is for the leaders to decide whether the restoration of Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry is more important or to make sure that the common man does not go to sleep with an empty stomach.
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