A view of the Tarbela Dam, the largest earth-filled dam in the world in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Photo Credit: USAID/Wikimedia Commons
As parts of the country faced drought, Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday appealed to all Pakistanis, especially expatriates, to contribute generously to a fund for construction of water reservoirs including the large Diamer-Bhasha Dam.
Khan asked overseas Pakistanis, including Pakistani-Americans and those living in Europe and the rich Middle Eastern countries to contribute at least one thousand dollars each to the fund set up by Chief Justice of Pakistan.
In a televised message, Khan announced the merger of PM’s Fund and Chief Justice’s Fund for the cause, which he said was the duty of governing leaders.
Khan warned the Pakistanis of dire conditions if the country does not build dams now, saying Pakistan could face drought like conditions by 2025.
Diamer-Bhasha Dam is one of the planned water reservoirs that Pakistan wants to construct over River Indus in its northern areas-Gilgit Balistan. It would be a concrete-filled gravity dam. 
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Meteorological Department warned that country’s southern provinces-Sindh and Balochistan are in the grip of drought due to low rainfall during Monsoon season and decreased flows in the rivers.
“During July-August 2018, below normal rainfall was recorded over most of the southern parts of the country. It was well below normal (-30.4%) and during (May-August) 2018, below normal (-24.4%) rainfall was recorded over Pakistan, ” the drought alert issued by PMD stated. During Monsoon season, the rainfall has been below normal in Sindh by 70 percent, 50 percent in Balochistan, 50 percent in Khyber Pakhtun Khawa , 8 percent in Punjab and 19 percent in Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.
Photo: Jawad Zakariya via Wikimedia Commons
Due to deficient summer and monsoon rainfall, moderate drought like condition has emerged over most of the southern parts of Pakistan. The moderate to severe drought is prevailing in most parts of Sindh including Tharparkar, Mityari, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Dadu, Karachi, Kambar Shadadkot, Umerkot.
Dry conditions will likely cause water stress in the cultivated lands of the country due to limited supply of irrigation water for Kharif crops.
The water availability in Tarbela dam is at maximum level. However, Mangla dam is almost half filled, maximum conservation level (almost 65 feet) at Mangla reservoir.
Water managers say small dams (situated near Islamabad) and ground water conditions have been significantly improved at most places of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Due to less water in Mangla reservoir and minimal expected rainfall during next 3-months, the water shortages are most likely for sowing of Rabi crops.
