ISLAMABAD: The city managers on Tuesday sought help from international partners to resolve the water issue in Islamabad.

Islamabad has been facing water shortage as no new source has been explored during the last three decades. On the other hand, the population of the city has witnessed a rapid increase.

According to a statement issued by CDA, its Islamabad Water Agency organised a ‘Potential development partners’ conference’ aimed to promote cooperation on the importance of water, its conservation and meeting future needs.

The conference also discussed measures to ensure water availability in the light of climate change impacts.

Secretary Interior Mohammad Khurram Agha and CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa also participated in the conference, which was held in collaboration with Unicef.

According to CDA, representatives from potential development partners, including Unicef, JICA, World Bank, ADB, AFD, KfW Bank, embassy of Denmark, IFC, PWON and UN-Habitat attended the conference.

Speaking on the occasion, the CDA chairman said water was a great blessing from Allah Almighty and its efficient use was every individual’s responsibility. He said saving water was equivalent to saving lives as every drop was precious.

“CDA is committed to providing clean and safe water to its citizens without interruption,” he said.

The CDA chief said the civic agency was not only aware of water’s importance but was also focusing on sustainable solutions to prevent any inconvenience to residents. In this regard, the CDA is preparing data on future water requirements besides exploring all possible sources to ensure water supply.

Mr Randhawa expressed the desire for full cooperation and support from development partners, adding the establishment of Islamabad Water Agency was a significant step forward in this regard. He urged development partners to play an active role in equipping the agency with modern facilities, experts, technical support and advanced technology. He added that with their support, Islamabad’s water needs can be effectively met.

The CDA is also focusing on alternative water sources and accelerating various projects to modernize the water supply system.

Representatives from potential development partners highlighted the importance of water conservation and meeting future demands in Islamabad, assuring their full support and cooperation to ensure the provision of clean and quality water.

The secretary interior praised the joint efforts of local and international development partners in water conservation and supply projects. He stated CDA, in collaboration with Unicef, has taken a commendable step by leveraging the technical expertise and experience of potential water development partners. He expressed the hope that CDA will continue to play its role in ensuring water supply for the city’s residents. He said vigorous efforts for water conservation were indispensable.

Sources said for resolving the water shortage issue, the civic agency will have to construct new small dams besides starting work on Ghazi Barotha project designed to provide 100 million gallon per day water to Rawalpindi and Islamabad each.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2025