KARACHI: Experts and government representatives called for stronger institutional coordination, science-based planning and collective action to address growing water security challenges in Pakistan.

The call came during a two-day capacity building training, organised by WWF-Pakistan in Karachi on water stewardship, governance, climate informed water planning and practical approaches to water security.

Participants included representatives from the provincial planning and development department, Bureau of Statistics Sindh, Sindh Environmen­tal Protec­tion Agency (Sepa), Pakistan Meteorolo­gical Depart­ment, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Sindh Irrigation Department, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and public sector academic institutions.

Sepa Director General Waqar Hussain Phulpoto highlighted the need to integrate environmental safeguards into water planning and development processes.

“Water security requires stronger environmental governance, closer institutional coordination and improved compliance with environmental standards and safeguards to protect water resources for present and future generations,” he said.

Mehak Sikandar, Mana­ger Water Stewardship and Replenishment, WWF-Pakistan, appreciated the positive response by government institutions in advancing the water security agenda and creating an enabling environment for the adoption and scaling of effective interventions.

She shared examples of WWF-Pakistan’s collaboration with government institutions and other partners to demonstrate groundwater recharge, ablution water reuse, early warning systems and urban nature-based solutions.

Discussions highlighted that Karachi’s increasing water demand, groundwater depletion, pollution, urban flooding, infrastructure pressures and ecosystem degradation are interconnected challenges that require coordinated responses.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2026