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Pakistan Faces Severe Water Crisis, Threatening Wheat Production Amidst India Dispute
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News18•28-09-2026, 17:28
Pakistan Faces Severe Water Crisis, Threatening Wheat Production Amidst India Dispute
- •Pakistan anticipates a 25% water shortfall for the upcoming Rabi cropping season, jeopardizing wheat production and food security.
- •Reservoir carryover has dropped below 9.5 million acre-feet, marking the lowest level for the start of a Rabi season since 2021.
- •Wheat, Pakistan's primary Rabi crop, is highly susceptible to the reduced water availability.
- •The water crisis is exacerbated by an ongoing dispute with India over the Indus Waters Treaty.
- •Despite the Permanent Court of Arbitration affirming the treaty's validity in September 2026, India has rejected its jurisdiction and position.
Key Questions Answered
Pakistan is heading into the Rabi cropping season with a projected 25% water shortfall, which threatens wheat production and national food security.
India placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance in 2025, though Pakistan maintains it is still binding. In September 2026, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that the treaty remains in force, a position and jurisdiction that India has rejected.
Reservoir carryover has fallen below 9.5 million acre-feet, marking the lowest level recorded at the start of a Rabi season since 2021.
