LAHORE – Pakistan fast bowler Mohammed Asif said water scarcity is emerging as a grave threat to the survival of the country, but unfortunately the policymakers have their priorities elsewhere.
Talking to the media at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore, Asif said water shortage is a bigger threat to Pakistan than spot-fixing. “Pakistan is facing an acute water shortage that may hit masses, agriculture
and industry soon,” said Asif and added, “In the last few days the entire state has been focusing on combating fixing ignoring the fact that water scarcity is the bigger menace.”
Asif, who served a prison sentence and a six years ban for spot-fixing, said Pakistan touched the water stress line in 1990, two years before winning the ODI World Cup.
“The country crossed the water scarcity line in 2005, four years before the T20 World Cup win – five before the spot-fixing issue,” he added. “Do you not get what I’m saying?”
Asif warned that if steps were not taken to arrest the situation, the country was likely to face drought in the near future.
“Our capacity to preserve water has shrunk over the years, while we keep producing cricketers” he said. “No country has a lower water to cricketer supply than Pakistan. We need to fix our priorities,” he said.
Asif said that the government should immediately release ‘vast amounts’ to overcome the water scarcity. “I can personally take responsibility for the accounts for the fund, in the greater interests of my country,” he concluded.
