Storage, Strength, Survival; Pakistan needs dams

Few Arguments against Dams

The campaign in favour of dams was misleading, driven by dam lobbies without credible research; billions were invested in mega-dams.

Dams are not flood-proof; while they may reduce small floods, they intensify large ones by narrowing river channels.

Sedimentation makes dams unsustainable, as they silt up within 50 years.

Alternatives exist; Pakistan’s aquifers, wetlands, and river floodplains can store nearly 500 MAF of water.

The push for dams is portrayed as contractor- and loan-driven.

From floods to fields, dams safeguard Pakistan’s future

Dams are not only about flood control; their core role in Pakistan is storing and regulating water for agriculture, drinking, and hydropower during dry months.

Without reservoirs, Pakistan cannot meet year-round water needs due to highly seasonal rainfall and river inflows.

Aquifers are not infinite: over-extraction already causes depletion, salinity, and contamination in Punjab and Sindh.

Dams actually help recharge aquifers, so controlled surface storage is essential for groundwater sustainability.

Relying solely on “natural flows” is unrealistic, as Pakistan’s dense population in floodplains makes floods far deadlier compared to Europe, where governance regulates land use better.

Sedimentation can be managed through modern engineering methods like flushing, bypass tunnels, dredging, and watershed care, which have already extended Tarbela and Mangla’s lifespan.

Hydropower from large reservoirs is vital for Pakistan’s energy security, providing clean, domestic, long-term electricity that complements, not competes with, solar and wind.

Large dams also help with peak demand management and base-load electricity, making them crucial for climate mitigation.

The best approach is integrated: dams for strategic storage and energy, aquifers and wetlands for resilience and ecological balance. Rejecting dams altogether is impractical for Pakistan’s water-stressed reality.

Conclusion

The reality is that Pakistan’s existential water challenge requires large strategic reservoirs to regulate flows, provide water security, generate energy, and recharge aquifers. Nature-based solutions are valuable complements, but they cannot replace the storage, regulation, and reliability that dams uniquely provide in a monsoon-driven, water-stressed country.