PepsiCo Pakistan, in partnership with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), convened the Misal-e-Basti Policy Dialogue on Saturday. The high-level closed-door roundtable, titled Advancing Water Stewardship through Model Communities, brought together senior leadership from the federal government, development institutions, diplomatic community, private sector, academia and policy circles to build momentum for scaling community-based water and climate resilience models into national frameworks.

The dialogue highlighted Misal-e-Basti, a pioneering Water Stewardship Model Community in Chak RS, Shujabad, near Multan. Launched by PepsiCo Pakistan with WWF-Pakistan on World Water Day 2023 and independently evaluated by SDPI, the project was formally inaugurated in 2024 and underwent a full impact assessment by mid-2025. Designed to tackle freshwater scarcity, wastewater management, sanitation and hygiene, it has also advanced climate resilience and economic opportunity.

Before intervention, Chak RS faced severe water insecurity, with 70 per cent of residents lacking safe drinking water and 98pc suffering from waterborne diseases. Today, through solar-powered water filtration, rainwater harvesting, floating treatment wetlands, ablution water reuse and community-led hygiene awareness programmes, Misal-e-Basti provides safe water to over 15,000 people, replenishes 20 million litres annually, reduces waterborne illnesses by 45pc and prevents 80,000 kilograms of carbon emissions each year. The community has also benefited from reduced healthcare costs, restored biodiversity and greater opportunities for women and children to focus on education and livelihoods.

These results framed the roundtable discussions, which underlined the need to move from top-down approaches to integrated, community-centred frameworks. Participants agreed that Misal-e-Basti offers a proven, scalable model that links grassroots impact with national policy. Insights from the dialogue will directly inform SDPI’s forthcoming policy recommendations, positioning the project as a blueprint for water stewardship and climate resilience in Pakistan.

The chief guest, Dr Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal, the minister of State for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, commended the initiative, stating:“Misal-e-Basti by PepsiCo Pakistan exemplifies how collaboration between the public, private and development sectors, alongside policy think tanks and most importantly the community, can scale solutions that advance sustainable development, climate resilience and socio-economic progress. This model must be scaled up and embedded into national policy.”

Zakiuddin Khalid, the business head of PepsiCo Pakistan Foods, added: “Misal-e-Basti shows how a community project, built with strategic partnerships and local ownership, can influence national policy. This integration of grassroots impact with policy ambition is rare in the private sector, and we call on more partners to join us in bringing this framework to other water-stressed communities across Pakistan.”

Dr Abid Suleri, the executive director of SDPI, emphasised its replicability, “The Misal-e-Basti model in Chak RS proves how private sector partnerships can deliver measurable impact, addressing water and climate challenges while advancing the SDGs. With transparency, community ownership and WASH gains validated by SDPI, it is a model the government should scale nationwide.”

By aligning a community-owned model with a national-level policy dialogue, PepsiCo Pakistan has created a bridge between grassroots innovation and institutional action. With growing multi-stakeholder momentum, Misal-e-Basti now stands not only as a local success story but also as a credible pathway for shaping Pakistan’s water and climate resilience policies.

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