ISLAMABAD: The federal government is planning to set up Potohar Water Board mainly to oversee a proposed mega project aimed at bringing 200 million gallon per day (mgd) water for Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The board will be an independent body and will involve all stakeholders, including Capital Development Authority (CDA), Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Cantonment Board, Defence Housing Authority and the Islamabad Capital Territory Administration.

Sources said the decision was made recently by a task force formed by the prime minister jointly headed by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Syed Tauqir Hussain Shah, Adviser to Prime Minster.

The task force at a meeting agreed that water is the major issue in both the cities. It was agreed that project namely Tarbela Water Scheme would be launched soon for brining 200 mgd of water for the twin cities.

Board will mainly oversee Tarbela Water Scheme to bring 200 mgd of water for Rawalpindi and Islamabad

They said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was cognisant of the water shortage issue in twin cities and had directed that new board should be formed to address it.

The sources said the task force wanted to get the project completed within three years to avoid a serious water crisis in twin cities. They said that participants of the meeting were surprised to know about the alarming situation of water supply in Islamabad. They said without execution of the mega project, the issue of water shortage can’t be properly overcome.

It is relevant to note here that Islamabad has been witnessing a rapid increase in its population, but no new water source was added to the system during the last three decades.

Currently, CDA is supplying only 62 mgd mainly from its three main sources - Simly and Khanpur dams and tubewells.

The rural population is dependent either on bore water or small water schemes of the district government.

According to documents available with Dawn, Islamabad’s water demand is 283 mgd (246 mgd actual and 37mgd distribution losses). The documents revealed that there is a demand supply gap of more than 175 mgd. The shortfall is being managed through rationing, supplying water intermittently and on alternate days in some areas.

The mega Tarbela project was proposed back in 2008, but it could not move beyond files.

The CDA on several occasions in the past had decided to construct small dams like Chiniot and Shahdara, but could not launch work on any project. On the other hand, during the last few years the CDA spent billions of rupees on road projects without focusing on the resolution of the water issue.

Recently, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior headed by MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz also criticised the CDA for ignoring the pressing water issue of Islamabad.

The committee stated that instead of focusing on road projects, the CDA should take steps to overcome water shortage.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2025