President ties inter-provincial consensus to water, security

KARACHI: President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday called for improved inter-provincial coordination to

mitigate prevailing water and food security risks, while stressing for

provincial consensus on the implementation of water policy so that the growing needs of the country could be met accordingly.

Alvi voiced these views, while addressing 4th Karachi International Water Conference

(KIWC), organised by Hisaar Foundation under the theme of "Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Pakistan’s Agenda for the 21st Century".

On the implications of global warming, the President said,” A network of

partnerships on water and food security involving private sector, government, civil society, media and people of Pakistan, is the need of the hour”.

“We live in a time, where our children are rightfully holding us accountable for our mistakes in failing to take care of the environment. They expect us to protect natural resources and leave them a legacy on which to build a water and food sufficient society.”

The President congratulated the orgainsers for arranging this biennial conference and thanked all international delegates and experts for their informative discourse on food and water security.

He advised them to invite the agriculture and water ministers of four provinces along with the federal ministers in the next conference to give the government an ownership to this agenda. “These ministries can play a leading role in devising solid strategies to avoid the risks of drought- and flood-like disasters in the country,” Alvi added.

The Karachi International Water Conference (KIWC) is held in Karachi after every two years. Over the past six years, KIWC has attained a position of prominence as a major water event in the region.

From its beginning in 2013, the 3rd Karachi International Water Conference has been attended by over 1200 delegates from Pakistan, South Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America. From local organisations to multi-nationals, prominent personalities in the water sector attended the previous conferences.