PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor, Faisal Karim Kundi, has said on Tuesday that climate change and conservation of water resources were critical national challenges.
Mr Kundi, according to statement issued here, was addressing a two-day long workshop on “impact of climate change on water resources in Pakistan” jointly organised by the University of Peshawar’s National Centre of Excellence in Geology in collaboration with University of Engineering and Technology’s Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Engineering.
Addressing the need for immediate action, Mr Kundi emphasised the necessity of constructing new dams and modernising the irrigation system across the province.
He noted the lack of significant measures in the past, highlighting water conservation was a collective responsibility. He stated that by effectively conserving water resources, vast tracts of barren land in the southern districts could be transformed into cultivable areas.
The governor emphasised that the water crisis was not just an environmental issue, but a challenge linked to national security, economy, energy and provincial harmony.
He highlighted the plight of farmers facing weather uncertainties, the growing water scarcity in urban areas and the deterioration of natural ecosystems.
The governor also pointed to the alarming rate of glacial melt in the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush ranges, which posed both short-term risks of floods and glacier lake outbursts and long-term threats of drought and food crises.
Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2025
