Book on water profile of KP launched

PESHAWAR: A book written by 21 researchers on the water profile of Khyber Pakh­tun­khwa has been launched.

Ambassador of Switzerland to Pakistan Benedict de Cerjat attended the ceremony as a special guest. The book titled “Water Profile of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Resources, Uses, Governance, Challenges” was published by a Swiss organization Helvetas in collaboration with a number of researchers from government, research institutions and universities.

The book has a comprehensive analysis of the water resources of KP including, supply, demand, use, governance and water management challenges. Khyber Pakhtun­khwa Secretary Planning and Development Shah Mehmood Khan was the chief guest on the occasion. The book is considered a landmark study by 21 authors and edited by Dr Arjumand Nizami and Dr Jawad Ali of Helvetas. Dr Arjumand Nizami, Country Director, Helvetas presented the background and contents of the book.

She said that the main contents included water resources available in KP, water governance, climate change and impact on water; the role of forests in regulating water flow; domestic use of water and sanitation; agriculture needs of irrigation water, demand and supply of private and domestic sectors, hydropower potential and progress, water pricing and water policies of KP. Dr Arjumand thanked all the contributors to the book, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation for their support in writing and publishing the book.

Copies of the book signed by Benedict de Cerjat and Shah Mehmood Khan were distributed among the editors and the authors.

Addressing the participants, the Switzerland ambassador said that it was a great pleasure for him to attend the ceremony. He said that Pakistan was a beautiful country and had a lot of potentials to develop water resources. Referring to his recent visit to Swat and Chitral, he said that KP had ample water resources and landscape.

He expressed that SDC contributed to the Integrated Water Management Strategy of KP approved by the chief minister in February 2020 and in publishing the book. The envoy said the Swiss government had a long association with the Government of Pakistan and the people of KP and has contributed to several development projects in the province.

The Switzerland envoy appreciated the KP government for supporting development projects for the betterment of the people of the province. He said he read several chapters of the book and found it informative, adding the book was a great source of information about water use and development in the province.

Addressing the participants, Shah Mehmood Khan said the book was equally useful for practitioners and researchers especially for the PhD students who were working on water resources. He said the information was useful for managing water resources. Shah Mehmood assured support of the government for the implementation of development projects in the province.

Editors, authors and participants from universities, government and the development sector attended the ceremony.