ISLAMABAD: Climate change and rapidly depleting water resources mean a national policy is needed for Pakistan, the Council of Common Interests (CCI) agreed on Tuesday.
“There was a consensus among participants on the need to adopt the National Water Policy (NWP),” a statement issued after the CCI meeting in the Prime Minister’s office said.
The 36th meeting of the CCI was chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Sartaj Aziz, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, briefed the meeting in detail about the draft NWP.
“It was emphasized that Pakistan is rapidly becoming a water-scarce country and obligations toward sustainable development goals require adoption of integrated water resource management (IWRM),” the statement said. “Population growth and water demands for various sectors of the economy necessitate urgent measures to enhance storage capacity.”
CCI was briefed that the draft NWP includes strategic initiatives and is in line with the National Climate Change Policy 2012.
Officials informed the CCI that the draft NWP includes the establishment of administrative bodies at federal and provincial levels, including a national water council and provincial water authorities to improve the coordination of water resource management.
“It was decided that the proposed policy would be brought in the next CCI meeting after incorporating suggestions from the provinces for its final approval,” the statement said.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo attended the meeting.
Punjab was represented by Finance Minister Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha. Chief secretaries of all provinces, and federal secretaries and senior officials from federal and provincial governments were also present.
“There was a consensus among participants on the need to adopt the National Water Policy (NWP),” a statement issued after the CCI meeting in the Prime Minister’s office said.
The 36th meeting of the CCI was chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Sartaj Aziz, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, briefed the meeting in detail about the draft NWP.
“It was emphasized that Pakistan is rapidly becoming a water-scarce country and obligations toward sustainable development goals require adoption of integrated water resource management (IWRM),” the statement said. “Population growth and water demands for various sectors of the economy necessitate urgent measures to enhance storage capacity.”
CCI was briefed that the draft NWP includes strategic initiatives and is in line with the National Climate Change Policy 2012.
Officials informed the CCI that the draft NWP includes the establishment of administrative bodies at federal and provincial levels, including a national water council and provincial water authorities to improve the coordination of water resource management.
“It was decided that the proposed policy would be brought in the next CCI meeting after incorporating suggestions from the provinces for its final approval,” the statement said.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo attended the meeting.
Punjab was represented by Finance Minister Dr. Ayesha Ghaus Pasha. Chief secretaries of all provinces, and federal secretaries and senior officials from federal and provincial governments were also present.
