C2 NUML: Speakers at a seminar to educate the audience about the possible shortage of water in a future and highlighted its importance for preservation. Seminar “Water Crises in Pakistan” was arranged by the Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC) of National University of Modern Languages (NUML).

The speakers including Naseer Memon from Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO), Seemi Kamal Senior Group Head grant operation Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), Muhammad Nadeem Senior Manager PPAF and renowned lawyer Ahmar Bilal Soofi spoke on the occasion.

Rector NUML Major General Zia Ud Din Najam (Retd), Director General NUML Brig Riaz Ahmed Gondal, Registrar, heads of departments and students were at the occasion.

Naseer Memon delivered his speech on a finite resource facing infinite challenges.

He revealed that total water on earth 1.4 billion cubic km, 97.5% of this quantity is in the oceans only 2.5% is fresh water.

He said, acting in accordance with a World Bank Report 40-60% of water used by utilities is lost to leakage, theft and poor accounting, almost half of the water diverted for irrigation is lost to seepage and evaporation. He remarked that global water demand for the manufacturing industry is expected to increase by 400 percent from 2000 to 2050.

Naseer Memon said Pakistan has a population of approx. 180 million, more than half of the population rely on agriculture, 1/3rd of them are below the poverty line, 1/4th of them do not have safe drinking water and more than 76 million have no sanitation.

He said of present groundwater use for agriculture accounts for more than 60 percent of the water at the farm gate in Punjab.

He said conservation and better management of water resources should be the priority. Seemi Kamal and Muhammad Nadeem educate the audiences about the recommendation to avert a possible water shortage in future and highlighted the importance of preservation of water. Ahmer Bilal Soofi in his address to discuss the legal aspects of the Water Treaty and suggested the government present water crisis case in the best way with India to resolve the issue.

Answering a question, he said that preservation of a single drop of water is the responsibility of the every citizen. At the end, Rector NUML said that it is the most important thing issue which is being neglected by the stakeholders. He appreciated ORIC for organizing such a seminar on a very important topic.