Urbanization and Sustainable Water Management in Pakistan: Implications of Water Governance on Climate Resilience and Water Security

Pakistan is vulnerable to climate actions as despite being consecrated with profuse water re-sources, it is facing water scarcity due to the cumulative effects of climate change, lack of storage facilities, and inefficient water governance. The burgeoning population and lack of rationalization in the sectoral distribution of water usage are putting stress on limited water resources. Irregular weather pattern causing droughts and floods at regular intervals is worrisome development. The study explores the impact of rapid urbanization coupled with climate actions on Pakistan’s water security and recommends measures for climate resilience ensuring efficient water management and sustainable water supply for achieving UNSDG 6 and 13 by 2030. Pakistan’s transboundary water sharing with India was formalized with Indus Water Treaty (IWS), which has been unilat-erally held in abeyance by India on 26 April 2025, which has compounded Pakistan’s water security challenges. The study fulfils twofold aims of ensuring efficient water governance with existing infrastructure and futuristic plans to address water management challenges on sustainable basis.