Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is among the 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change. Our average temperatures are projected to rise faster than the global average, he said.
This was stated by PM Shehbaz Sharif in his message on World Water Day 2025. Today, as the world marks World Water Day 2025 under the theme PM Shehbaz Sharif said that “Glacier Preservation”, we are reminded of the critical role glaciers play in sustaining our planet’s freshwater supplies and of the grave challenges we face in protecting this essential resource.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that water is the cornerstone of life; fundamental to our economies, our food systems, and our environment. Yet, this life-sustaining resource is under unprecedented stress.
Prime minister said that nearly half of the global population experiences water scarcity for at least part of the year. Billions remain without access to clean drinking water, while water pollution continues to rise at alarming levels. Our wetlands are disappearing three times faster than our forests. This is no longer a distant threat. It is a global crisis that demands immediate and collective action.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan is no stranger to these challenges. As a country deeply dependent on its glaciers, rivers, and aquifers, we are witnessing the accelerating impact of climate change and population pressures on our water resources. The catastrophic floods of 2022 continue to cast a long shadow, having caused enormous damage to our irrigation systems and affected millions of lives and livelihoods.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that at the same time, droughts pose an equally serious threat-with nearly 80% of our land categorized as arid or semi-arid, and 30% of our population directly affected by drought-like conditions.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that over three-quarters of our water resources originate outside our borders. That is why Pakistan attaches great importance to transboundary water cooperation. In that backdrop, effective implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty is critical for Pakistan’s water security.
He said that the government’s Recharge Pakistan initiative is working to mitigate climate-induced flood risks and reduce drought impacts through ecosystem-based adaptation. Meanwhile, through our Living Indus initiative we are implementing 25 priority interventions-from promoting nature-based agriculture and restoring the Indus delta to curbing industrial pollution and investing in green infrastructure.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said that on this World Water Day, let us reaffirm our resolve to preserve our glaciers, protect our water resources, and work together for a resilient, water-secure future-for our people, our region, and our planet.
Ahsan Iqbal
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal, while describing water conservation as the national responsibility of every individual, Saturday said it was essential to effectively tackle environmental challenges and achieve the development goals set under the 5Es framework. In a message on the World Water Day, he linked water conservation to the country’s broader goals of energy sustainability, equity and export-oriented growth.
“Energy generation, agricultural exports, and social justice all depend on the wise use of water,” he said reinforcing the interconnectedness of water with the nation’s long-term economic and social aspirations.
He stressed that water was not only “the soul of life” but also a cornerstone for building prosperous and developed economies.
“Water is the lifeblood of agriculture, industry, energy and daily life. However, Pakistan is grappling with two starkly contrasting realities: increasing flood risks due to climate change, and the rapidly depleting water reserves that threaten the foundations of our development,” he remarked.
