ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 27th Sep, 2024) A national consultative workshop was held here on Friday, which was attended by the experts from across Pakistan to explore solutions for the country’s growing water crisis.
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) under the UK Aid-funded Water Resource Accountability in Pakistan (WRAP) Programme hosted the event with an aim to enhance water management strategies in line with the National Water Policy.
Over 100 participants, including government officials, private sector leaders, representatives from development agencies, academics, and local community members, attended the workshop.
They discussed various approaches to tackle water scarcity and highlighted strategies successfully applied in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) through the WRAP Programme.
One of the key speakers, Dr. Mohsin Hafeez, IWMI’s Director for Water, food, and Ecosystems, emphasized the importance of data in managing water resources.
He pointed out gaps in Pakistan’s current water management systems, particularly the lack of an early warning system to prevent floods and other disasters.
Dr. Hafeez also discussed the challenge posed by inaccurate groundwater data, which affects decision-making related to water management across the country.
He provided an overview of the WRAP Programme, which focuses on improving water accounting in Pakistan.
He explained that IWMI had developed a water accounting framework for Okara district, along with a Groundwater Management Information System (GMIS) to address water shortages in Punjab. The system, first piloted in Rahim Yar Khan and Okara, will eventually be expanded to other areas.
He added that specialized towers had been installed in various districts, including Okara, Chakwal, Rahim Yar Khan, and Sheikhupura, to gather essential data on water and carbon emissions in agriculture.
Dr. Hafeez also highlighted the importance of collaboration, noting that IWMI had organized four consultation workshops at the provincial level.
These workshops allowed key stakeholders, including federal and provincial government officials, policymakers, and water experts, to discuss water accounting and its role in sustainable water management.
During his address, Engr. Ahmad Kamal, Chairman of the Federal Flood Commission, shared insights on water management in the Indus Basin. He noted that Pakistan ranks eighth among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, with the nation frequently appearing in the top 10 lists of climate-vulnerable countries over the past three decades. Kamal raised concerns about the lack of regulation surrounding groundwater use, which has led to its rapid depletion across Pakistan.
International perspectives were also presented during the workshop. Dr. Yasir Mohamed, a professor at IHE Delft in the Netherlands, gave an overview of global water accounting practices. He emphasized the role of modern technologies such as remote sensing, satellite data, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in gathering accurate data for water management.
The event concluded with group sessions focused on developing water management recommendations and expanding the scope of water accounting across Pakistan.
The concluding remarks were delivered by Mahr Sahibzad Khan, Director General of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, who emphasized the need to scale up efforts to tackle the water crisis. Other speakers included Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, IWMI’s Advisor for Science and Policy, and Dr. Jehanzeb Masud Cheema, IWMI Pakistan’s Deputy Country Representative.
The workshop underscored the urgency of addressing Pakistan’s water crisis through data-driven solutions, improved water accounting, and collaboration across all sectors. Experts agreed that adopting these strategies would be crucial in managing the nation’s water resources effectively in the coming years.
APP/usz/mdi
