LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhary Mohammad Sarwar has encouraged worldwide water-related organisations to come forward and assist the Punjab government in addressing the issue of water shortages, which is a source of concern for all of us.
On Friday, he told Dr. Mohsin Hafeez, the International Water Management Institute’s (IWMI) Country Representative in Pakistan and Central Asia, at the Governor House in Lahore.
According to the governor, supplying clean drinking water to the people is a “purpose of his life.” According to him, the Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority has been supplying clean drinking water to nearly eight million people in the province for this purpose.
He stated that groundwater quality was also dismal due to inadequate water management, and that “our administration is working hard to provide standardised water since it is directly related to public health and quality of life.”
He stated that clean drinking water will be delivered to people’s homes to prevent them from getting water-borne infections.
He then emphasised the troubling position for an agricultural economy like Pakistan’s, where the true source of water difficulties was a lack of data. Sarwar requested that the IWMI country head assist in the preparation of water statistics so that the government could address water issues.
Sarwar praised IWMI’s efforts in Pakistan and pledged complete support and collaboration between the Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority and IWMI Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Mohsin expressed his personal and IWMI’s complete support for the Punjab government’s clean drinking water programmes, as well as to supervise the province’s urgent potable water supply challenges.
“Given Pakistan’s acute potable water supply challenges and the government’s objectives to meet the targets for Sustainable Development Goals 6, it is high time for partnership between the Punjab Aab-e-Pak Authority and IWMI Pakistan,” he emphasised.
Dr. Mohsin also presented a thorough presentation on water concerns in Punjab and interventions that may be used to improve groundwater and surface water management.
He informed the administration that the IWMI-Pakistan will give all research and technical assistance to the government in order to properly address this situation.
