ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) will hold an International Water Conference in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad on May 6–7, the committee said on Sunday, aiming to ensure sustainable management of water resources.
The conference on ‘Emerging Technologies for Water Security and Socio-Economic Development’ will take place at the OIC-COMSTECH Secretariat Islamabad. It will convene researchers, practitioners, academicians, and policymakers from around the world to address critical issues related to water management and sustainability.
Water security remains a critical issue for many OIC member states, while challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, pollution and inefficient resource management continue to threaten economic and social development.
Pakistan is among countries with highest rate of water consumption in the world. Rainfall has steadily declined over the past few decades and experts have been warning for years the South Asian country will approach “absolute scarcity” of water by 2025.
“The conference aims to foster in-depth discussions that will inform policy and practice, stimulate cross-sectoral collaboration, and promote innovative approaches for the sustainable management of water resources,” COMSTECH said on Sunday.
“Proceedings and a detailed post-conference report will be published to capture key insights, research findings, and actionable recommendations for long-term impact.”
Pakistan witnessed drought conditions in several areas amid a below-normal rainfall deficit of 40 percent from Sept. 1 to Mar. 21, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. There was an “acute shortage” of stored water in the Tarbela and Mangla dams, while water in different rivers flowed at an “extreme low level.”
Pakistan’s agriculture sector, which contributes nearly a quarter of Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs 37 percent of the national labor force, uses the most amount of fresh water than any other sector. The South Asian country generally relies on water from the Indus river which bisects it from north to south, where it empties into the Arabian Sea.
The water conference is being held at a time when Islamabad is facing a threat from India to suspend the 1960 World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty, which ensures water for 80 percent of Pakistani farms, amid tensions between the two neighbors over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists on April 22.
Islamabad has described the move as an “act of war” and said it would take “all appropriate steps” to safeguard its due share of water.
COMSTECH said the International Water Conference in Islamabad will provide a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and collaborative dialogue, with attendees engaging in academic presentations, interactive panel discussions, and specialized technical sessions.
“Over 80 scholarly papers will be presented under diverse sub-themes, including Environment and Climate Change, Food and Agriculture, Glaciology and Snow Hydrology, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene), Circular Water Economy, Policy and Governance, and Artificial Intelligence for Water Security,” it said.
COMTECH is organizing the conference in collaboration with the Riphah Institute of Public Policy, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Water Aid and the University of Haripur.
OIC’s COMSTECH to hold International Water Conference in Islamabad this week
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OIC’s COMSTECH to hold International Water Conference in Islamabad this week
- The conference is being held at a time when India has threatened to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty that ensures water for 80 percent Pakistani farmland
- The global event on emerging technologies, water security will provide a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and collaborative dialogue, COMSTECH says
Death toll in Pakistan shopping plaza fire rises to 67, officials say
- Rescue teams still searching for damaged Gul Plaza in Karachi where blaze erupted on Saturday, says police surgeon
- Karachi has a long history of deadly fires, often linked to poor safety standards, weak regulatory enforcement
KARACHI: The death toll from a devastating fire at a shopping plaza in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi jumped to 67 on Thursday after police and a hospital official confirmed that the remains of dozens more people had been found.
Police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed said rescue teams were still searching the severely damaged Gul Plaza in the Karachi, where the blaze erupted on Saturday.
Most remains were discovered in fragments, making identification extremely difficult, but the deaths of 67 people have been confirmed, she said. Asad Raza, a senior police official in Karachi, also confirmed the death toll. Authorities previously had confirmed 34 deaths.
Family members of the missing have stayed near the destroyed plaza and hospital, even after providing their DNA for testing. Some have tried to enter the building forcibly, criticizing the rescue efforts as too slow.
“They are not conducting the search properly,” said Khair-un-Nisa, pointing toward the rescuers. She stood outside the building in tears, explaining that a relative who had left to go shopping has been missing since the blaze.
Another woman, Saadia Saeed, said her brother has been trapped inside the building since Saturday night, and she does not know what has happened to him.
“I am ready to go inside the plaza to look for him, but police are not allowing me,” she said.
There was no immediate comment from authorities about accusations they have been too slow.
Many relatives of the missing claim more lives could have been saved if the government had acted more swiftly. Authorities have deployed police around the plaza to prevent relatives from entering the unstable structure, while rescuers continue their careful search.
Investigators say the blaze erupted at a time when most shop owners were either closing for the day or had already left. Since then, the Sindh provincial government has said around 70 people were missing after the flames spread rapidly, fueled by goods such as cosmetics, clothing, and plastic items.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though police have indicated that a short circuit may have triggered the blaze.
Karachi has a long history of deadly fires, often linked to poor safety standards, weak regulatory enforcement, and illegal construction.
In November 2023, a shopping mall fire killed 10 people and injured 22. One of Pakistan’s deadliest industrial disasters occurred in 2012, when a garment factory fire killed at least 260 people.
