Pakistan, Feb. 17 -- Used to being battered by floods year after year, Pakistan now finds itself in the grip of a searing drought. Just weeks after the Pakistan Meteorological Department warned of minimal rainfall, Rawalpindi has declared a drought emergency. Water supply levels have plummeted to critical lows, forcing immediate conservation measures, including bans on car washing and mandates for water recycling at commercial properties.

This alarming shift towards water scarcity is a glaring reflection of a broader crisis that threatens the very fabric of sustainable development in Pakistan.

The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. Unless decisive measures are implemented, we risk losing not only our access to clean water bu...