As another spell of torrential monsoon rains submerged parts of Rawalpindi and Islamabad this week, the consequences of Pakistan’s decades-long indecision on water infrastructure have once again become painfully evident.
The latest deluge turned streets into streams, inundated homes, and brought urban life to a grinding halt. Amidst growing concerns about water storage, especially in light of India’s threats to the Indus Waters Treaty, millions of gallons of precious freshwater flowed unutilized into the Nullah Lai and onward to the sea. At least 54 people also died due to various rain-related incidents. The depth of the tragedies is worsened knowing they could have been mitigated had the long-proposed Soan Dam been built.
First recommended by the World Bank in 1955, the Soan Dam aims to help regulate flows into the Nullah Lai, which routinely causes devastating urban flooding. Nearly 70 years later, there has been minimal progress on the proposal thanks to Pakistan’s perennial political wrangling, interprovincial disagreements, and a chronic lack of resolve.
A dam on the Soan River could have not only helped tame this week’s deluge by regulating the volume of runoff, but also created a crucial storage facility for Rawalpindi and Islamabad, routinely plagued by acute water shortages. In doing so, it offers a sustainable solution to both urban flooding and water scarcity.
Unfortunately, the project has faced opposition due to concerns about displacement, environmental impact, and its potential impact on existing water resources and distribution. Sindh, notably, maintains that any new reservoirs in the upper riparian regions might further reduce already dwindling downstream water flows. These concerns should be addressed through transparent water-sharing mechanisms and guarantees, but the current trajectory of indecision amidst climate change cannot continue.
Pakistan remains among countries most vulnerable to climate change but is able to store only a fraction of the water it receives annually. As erratic monsoons and glacial melts intensify, there is a growing need for well-planned dams to bolster energy and agriculture needs, as well as urban resilience, flood control, and water security.
The Soan Dam is the need of the hour and requires decisive action. Pakistan cannot afford to drown in delay any longer.