Water is life. It sustains our fields, nourishes our communities, and keeps every living being alive. Yet today, in Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), water has become both a blessing and a curse.
As climate change accelerates, the region faces a heartbreaking paradox: devastating floods in one season, crippling droughts in the next. Villages are submerged under torrents of monsoon water, yet, just weeks later, mothers and children search for clean drinking water to survive.
At Kashmir Welfare Foundation, we see this crisis unfolding every day. From the submerged plains of Sindh and Punjab to the flood-hit valleys of Kashmir and the rugged mountains of Buner, our teams are on the ground delivering clean water, food, and emergency relief to families whose lives have been turned upside down.
💧 Donate now to rebuild lives and restore hope
Pakistan’s Water Crisis: From Abundance to Scarcity
Pakistan’s entire existence is tied to the mighty Indus River — a lifeline fed by glaciers from the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush. Around 90% of the nation’s food production depends on this fragile river system.
But this balance is breaking. Global warming is melting glaciers faster than ever before. Monsoons have grown unpredictable — some years, relentless downpours cause catastrophic flooding; others, drought grips the land, leaving fields barren. Outdated dams, irrigation systems, and canals cannot handle the strain.
In 1947, every Pakistani had access to 5,000 cubic metres of water per year. Today, that figure has fallen below 1,000 cubic metres — the global threshold for absolute scarcity.
If we do not act, Pakistan will face a severe water shortage by 2035, threatening food security, livelihoods, and national stability.
The Flood Paradox: Too Much Water, Too Little Security
The 2025 floods in Pakistan were a cruel reminder of nature’s power.
Entire villages in Sindh were swallowed by floodwaters. In Punjab, wheat and rice fields turned into vast lakes. Thousands of families fled their homes as rivers overflowed, while others remained trapped, waiting for rescue boats that never arrived.
Then, as the monsoon faded, drought returned. Crops dried up, wells ran empty, and the very same families who once fought for survival amid floods now begged for clean water to drink.
Each year, trillions of litres of water rush into the Arabian Sea because Pakistan lacks proper storage systems. Without investment in reservoirs, micro-dams, and water harvesting, this waste will continue — and millions will remain at risk.
Kashmir Cloudbursts and Flash Floods in Buner
The mountains of Azad Kashmir tell a different story — one of both abundance and vulnerability.
When cloudbursts or glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) strike, valleys like Neelum, Leepa, and Bagh face terrifying destruction. Bridges vanish overnight. Entire roads crumble into rivers. Families are cut off from help for days.
In one small village near Leepa, a mother named Amina recalls how her family survived a sudden flash flood last summer:
“The water came down the mountain like fire. It carried our cattle, our harvest, everything. For days, my children drank rainwater from puddles. Then, Kashmir Welfare Foundation reached us with clean water and food. That was the first time I saw hope again.”
In Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, flash floods bring similar chaos. Steep valleys funnel rainwater into torrents that sweep through villages without warning. Our teams distribute portable filtration units, food packs, and hygiene kits — often walking for hours to reach families in need.
💧 Your Sadaqah Jariya can provide clean water to remote Kashmiri families
Punjab and Sindh Floods: The Agricultural Heartland at Risk
The fertile plains of Punjab — Pakistan’s agricultural heart — have been ravaged by the floods. Thousands of hectares of wheat, maize, and rice lie underwater. Seed banks and farming tools have been swept away, leaving families hungry and hopeless.
In Sindh, the situation is even more dire. Stagnant floodwaters linger for weeks, turning villages into breeding grounds for cholera, hepatitis, and typhoid. Families are forced to drink contaminated water from damaged wells. Mothers cradle sick children, praying for medical help that may never arrive.
But where despair rises, so does determination.
Kashmir Welfare Foundation teams have set up community water filtration systems, distributed emergency food packs, and helped farmers replant their crops once the waters receded. Every donation helps us reach more families in these forgotten corners of Pakistan.
🌾 Support flood-hit farmers and families today
Water and Human Security
Water scarcity isn’t just an environmental issue — it is a matter of survival.
More than 21 million Pakistanis lack access to safe drinking water. In rural Kashmir, women and children often walk miles each day to collect water, carrying heavy containers through rocky terrain.
Floods destroy sanitation systems, spreading deadly diseases. Without safe water, hospitals become overwhelmed, children miss school, and entire communities fall deeper into poverty.
Agriculture consumes 90% of Pakistan’s water, yet inefficiencies in irrigation waste much of it. Without reform, food insecurity will intensify, pushing more families toward migration and debt.
Beyond Pakistan’s borders, water disputes are already escalating. As the Indus Waters Treaty faces strain under new climate realities, regional tensions over rivers like Jhelum and Chenab could deepen. Kashmir, once again, stands at the centre of this delicate balance.
Building Water Security: The Path Forward
Reversing this crisis is possible — but only through urgent, united action.
1. Invest in Storage and Dams
Pakistan must build new reservoirs and micro-dams to capture excess floodwater. In mountain villages of Azad Kashmir, rainwater harvesting systems can sustain communities year-round.
2. Modernise Irrigation
Switching from traditional flood irrigation to drip and sprinkler systems could save up to 50% of agricultural water.
3. Reforest and Protect Watersheds
Planting trees in Neelum, Leepa, and Bagh helps stabilise soil, prevent landslides, and regulate rainfall. Our Green Kashmir Campaign is already restoring balance to damaged ecosystems.
4. Provide Clean Drinking Water
Installing filtration plants and protecting mountain springs reduces disease and saves lives.
5. Adopt Climate-Smart Policies
Pakistan must monitor glacial melt, prepare for GLOFs, and include disaster risk reduction in national planning.
6. Strengthen Regional Cooperation
Future peace in South Asia depends on shared water governance. Kashmir’s communities must have a voice in decisions that affect their rivers.
7. Educate and Empower Communities
Teaching water conservation at schools and mosques helps build a culture of stewardship that endures for generations.
Kashmir Welfare Foundation: Our Three-Phase Response
At Kashmir Welfare Foundation, we believe in empowering people — not just saving them. Our water relief efforts follow a strategic, three-phase model:
1. Immediate Relief
Providing clean water, emergency food packs, medical care, and hygiene kits to flood-affected families.
2. Recovery
Repairing damaged water systems, rebuilding homes, and replanting farmlands to restore livelihoods.
3. Resilience
Training communities in climate adaptation, supporting micro-dam projects, and investing in long-term infrastructure.
Every donation you make becomes a lifeline — helping a child drink safely, a farmer irrigate his field, or a widow rebuild her home after the floods.
💧 Give Zakat or Sadaqah to support water security for generations
Water Is Our Future
Water insecurity in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir is not just a resource issue — it is a struggle for dignity, peace, and survival.
From the cloudbursts of Kashmir to the deep floods of Sindh, every disaster reminds us of one truth: without water security, there can be no food, no health, and no future.
At Kashmir Welfare Foundation, we are committed to transforming despair into resilience. But we cannot do it alone.
Water Crisis FAQ
1. Why is Pakistan facing a water crisis?
Pakistan’s water crisis stems from rapid population growth, glacier melt due to climate change, poor water management, and inefficient irrigation. Floods and droughts now occur in the same year, putting millions at risk.
2. How do floods lead to water scarcity?
Floodwaters destroy infrastructure, contaminate wells, and wash away topsoil. Once they recede, communities are left without access to clean drinking water or irrigation sources.
3. What does Kashmir Welfare Foundation do during floods?
Our teams provide emergency food, clean water, hygiene kits, and medical care. Once immediate needs are met, we repair water systems, rebuild homes, and support sustainable solutions like filtration units and micro-dams.
4. How can I support clean water projects in Pakistan and Kashmir?
You can donate Zakat, Sadaqah Jariya, or make a Regular Giving contribution through our Water Projects. Each donation helps deliver long-term water access to those who need it most.
5. Why is clean water considered Sadaqah Jariya?
When you provide clean water, every sip becomes a source of continuous reward. Each drop sustains life, health, and worship — an ongoing charity that benefits you in this world and the next.
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