Body formed to review additional water supply to Karachi

Water resources minister underscores importance of implementation of the National Water Policy

ISLAMABAD:

The Steering Committee of National Water Policy on Tuesday formed a body to review the matter of additional water supply to Karachi in pursuance of the decision of the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

The decision came during the meeting of the committee chaired by Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi, who reviewed the matter in pursuance of the decision of the CCI.

He approved the constitution of the committee headed by the Joint Secretary (Water) and comprising IRSA Members, MD KWSB, and provincial secretaries of irrigation departments.

The minister highlighted the importance of the water sector and underscored the importance of implementation of the National Water Policy for achieving the economic development goals of the country and the well-being of the people of Pakistan.

He reviewed the status of concurrence on the implementation framework of NWP presented in the first meeting of the steering committee held in September this year.

While appreciating the painstaking efforts made by the ministry in formulating the implementation framework, he urged the stakeholders to expedite furnishing the concurrence of the respective stakeholders within two weeks.

The stakeholders were also directed to submit their respective concurrence through the respective P&D Departments being a consolidated input of the provinces.

As an additional agenda item, he also considered the request of the Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir for the resolution of 614 cusec water from Mangla to irrigate its surrounding areas lying in AJK. In this regard, he suggested the AJK government submit a reference to the ministry of water resources for taking further necessary action.

He concluded the meeting by appreciating the efforts made by the Ministry of Water Resources to arrange a second meeting of the steering committee of the NWP within a short period of three months.

He encouraged the stakeholders particularly the provinces to follow the same spirit and extend their best cooperation in the implementation of the national water policy.

The meeting was attended by the Federal Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources, Planning, Development & Special Initiatives (PD&SI), representatives of Finance Division, Ministry of National Food Security & Research (NFS&R), and the provincial secretaries of Irrigation and Agriculture departments of the Governments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan as well as representatives of Governments of Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan also attended the meeting. Besides, representatives of WAPDA, Surveyor General of Pakistan, IRSA, Flood Commission and the Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters were also present on the occasion.