ISLAMABAD: Policymakers, researchers, farmers and various stakeholders at a national water conference unanimously called for free availability of clean and safe water to everyone, coupled with sustainable usage for agricultural practices.

The conference, themed “Water, People, and Equity: Building a Better Future for All,” took place at a local hotel in Islamabad on Monday, organised by the Indus Consortium, an organisation dedicated to environmental and humanitarian causes, with the support of Oxfam and the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC).

Participants, which included representatives from academia, tail-end farmers, and government departments such as Indus River System Authority (Irsa), Sindh Water Sector and Barrage Improvement, Planning and Development (P&D), Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA), Punjab Irrigation and Drainage Authority (PIDA), and other stakeholders from across the country, welcomed the Sindh Water Policy.

They urged its swift implementation and expressed hope for the development of similar policies in other provinces, with a particular emphasis on Punjab.

The participants demanded not only safe and free drinking water but also sustainable agricultural practices for farmers across the country.

Zarif Iqbal Khero, Chief Engineer, and Ex-Secretary Irrigation Sindh briefed the session on Sindh Water Policy, the role of civil society and Indus Consortium. He said that there was a programme for the implementation of the Sindh Water Policy and it would be improved.

He alleged that sustainable management of water was a part of the policy.

He said Punjab was provided more water than its share in water accord while Sindh faced water scarcity issues. He said Punjab developed more canals and distributaries.

He said Sindh had issues of sea intrusion as well, as there was the low discharge of water to Indus Delta. He suggested that indigenous people should be included in the policy-making and development processes.

Mehmood Nawaz Shah, President of the Sindh Abadgar Board, highlighted that the tail-end issue wasn’t confined to distributary levels but extended to the provincial level, with Sindh suffering due to its position in the tail-end.

He stressed the importance of addressing three critical water-related issues: drinking water, irrigation water, and floodwater.

Shah emphasised the need for strategic flood management and policy implementation.

Dr Shahid Maqsood Gill, member Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), presided over the second session on “Water for Climate, Resilience, and Environment.” He emphasised the necessity of considering groundwater alongside surface water, noting excessive pumping in both Northern and Southern Punjab.

He advocated for policies that promote groundwater recharge and the mechanisation of industrial water treatment.

Mohammad Ehsan Leghari, Member Sindh, Indus River System Authority (IRSA), highlighted the environmental and economic impact of discharging wastewater into fresh water.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2024