ISLAMABAD, Feb 20: Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has been asked to chalk out a strategy to set its vision and mission, which may reflect its mandate more comprehensively.

This was recommended at a two-day workshop on Strategic Planning and Management of Water Resources, which concluded after giving solid guidelines for carrying out goal-oriented research for the water sector development. The workshop was jointly organized by the PCRWR and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UN- ESCAP).

The workshop maintained that there should be a network through which the PCRWR might establish close coordination among all the water-related research and development organizations.

The guidelines provided that the PCRWR should play its leading role in preparing and monitoring projects in the allied areas so as to achieve the fixed national goals of development and management at a faster speed.

Earlier, a water expert, while speaking at the workshop on Friday, said Pakistan had a fertile soil and enough water resources and the only thing required was a well-conceived plan to make optimal utility of the same.

Giving statistics in support of his assertion, Dr W.D. Kemper, a US-based expert, expressed the hope that the workshop would serve as an opportunity to undertake effective planning for result-oriented research through the share of experiences.

Dr Akram Kahlown, the PCRWR chairman, asserted that water scarcity in the country was a sensitive area, where generating new resources was as important as water conservation.

The workshop had, therefore, been organized to draw up a plan with the help of the galaxy of scientist-participants from international organizations that would contain "viable and practicable recommendations for making best use of the national water resources".

Dr LeHuu Ti, representative of ESCAP, gave an overview of the strategic plan, quoting references of successful endeavours carried out in different countries of the Asia-Pacific Region.