STAFF REPORT KHI: Water experts and economists have emphasized the need for converting the water resources of Pakistan into a competitive advantage for the national economy for growth, employment generation, rural poverty alleviation and prosperity for the masses.
They expressed these views while speaking at different sessions of the International Water Conference – Securing Sustainable Water for All organized by the Hisaar Foundation recently arranged in Karachi. They said that Pakistan direly needs concerted efforts to develop consensus on depoliticizing decision making on dams and build up support for equitable distribution of costs and benefits of the water economy. Marc-Andre Franche, Country Director UNDP, Dr. Ishrat Hussain, Dean and Director IBA, Dr. Salman Shah, former Finance Minister and Member Hisaar Foundation Think Tank, former Member WAPDA and a Senior Advisor to the Global Water Partnership (GWP), UNDP and International Water Management Institute IWMI Khalid Mohtadullah, and number of other experts and panelists spoke on the occasion.They said that presently there is no approved water policy in the country while in the wake of climate change and related water management crisis, its need has become most urgent. He said that too many institutions managing water and too many laws governing it serves no purpose.