Sustainable water management key challenge to Pakistan: PCRWR

Islamabad : Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) Chairman Dr Muhammad Ashraf on Wednesday said that water management was a key challenge being confronted by Pakistan due to inadequate water management practices and climate-induced water stress.

Speaking at panel discussion on, ‘Trans-boundary Water Sharing Issues’ organised by PCRWR in collaboration with Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), he said the situation was further aggravated in form of flooding and prolonged droughts due to the trans-boundary nature of the Indus River which originated from Tibetan plateau and disposes off into Arabian Sea after passing through India and Pakistan.

Brig Rashid Wali Janjua, Director of Research, IPRI shared objectives of the panel discussion and its importance to chalk out policy measurements and strategy for improved cooperation with India and Afghanistan for sustainable water management in Pakistan.

The panel discussion session was moderated by Dr. Rashid Aftab, Director, Riphah Institute of Public Policy, Islamabad.

Key panellists of the discussion were Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Consultant, World Bank, Dr. Azeem Shah, International Researcher and Chief of Party (WMfEP), IWMI-Pakistan, Dr. Shakil Durani, Former Chief Secretary, KP/Sindh/AJK and ex-chairman WAPDA, and Arshad H. Abbasi, Energy & Power Sector Specialist.

It was deliberated that there was a need for strengthening of our national allied institutions to develop internal technical and legal capacity for better negotiations with India and Afghanistan.