Water resources of Balochistan, Pakistan—a review

Water is extremely important for human survival and economic development globally. The largest province of Pakistan, Balochistan, is facing drought conditions, water scarcity and quality issues, which has badly affected community livelihood and health. The agriculture sector contributes over 26% gross domestic product (GDP) of the country and engages 44% of the total labour force. Due to the steep slope, the limited surface is ephemeral. So, groundwater is the only option for various activities in 90% area of the province while 10% area has waterlogging and extremely bad-quality groundwater issues. Major reasons for limited research work on water issues across the province were because of security, political and socio-economic issues. Previous studies depict that groundwater quality in the entire province contains a high concentration of various contaminants and pathogens. Pakistan Economic Survey revealed in a study that over 50 million people across the country do not have access to safe water, and over 0.25 million children died due to polluted water. More than 72% of the rural population in Balochistan depends on dug wells and streams for drinking water. This review paper covers various anthropogenic factors that contaminate groundwater and surface water, uses and available overall water resources in the province. Previous studies indicate the public in Balochistan is facing health issues from contaminants such as arsenic, fluoride, pathogenic, etc. in drinking water. In this article, spatial maps show the spatial variation of pollutants, water table and geological formations. Balochistan can be divided into two regions, south and north, containing different climate and water availability conditions. Basin wise water monitoring system could be the best option to sustain water resources, and low delta crops reduce stress on groundwater. The stakeholders and active community participation and serious effects could help to overcome water issues.