Islamabad: Experts gathered at the National Consultative Workshop organized by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the event demanded smart innovations to effectively manage the nation’s water resources.
The experts discussed the importance of evidence-based technological solutions and accurate real-time data. The workshop, hosted under the UK Aid-funded Water Resource Accountability in Pakistan (WRAP) Programme, aimed to support the implementation of the National Water Policy (NWP), said a press release.
It welcomed over 100 participants, including government officials, representatives from development agencies, private sector leaders, academia, and members of local communities from all provinces and regions.
Throughout the event, discussions and presentations revolved around Pakistan’s water scarcity challenges and the successful strategies implemented through the WRAP Programme in Punjab and KP.
Dr Mohsin Hafeez, Director for Water, Food and Ecosystems and Team Leader for the WRAP Pro
gramme, briefed the meeting on water accounting in Pakistan and its role.
He said that our national institutions, such as the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), have a robust system in place to handle unfortunate incidents in the country agriculture and contribute to agroecological zoning.
As the chief guest, Engr Ahmad Kamal, Chairman of the Federal Flood Commission (MoWR), said the challenges and opportunities in the Indus Basin related to water accounting and management are significant.
He mentioned that Pakistan is the eighth most vulnerable country to climate change and has been consistently ranked among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable countries over the last 30 years.
Dr Yasir Mohamed, a Professor of Water Resources Management at IHE Delft in the Netherlands, gave an overview of water accounting and its global implications. He said the importance of remote sensing, satellite data, and GIS in obtaining accurate results for water accou
nting cannot be overstated. He also said the need for good networking connections is essential to ensure the collection of precise data.
The workshop concluded with group work sessions focusing on water accounting recommendations and scaling up the issue at the national level. DG PMD Mahr Sahibzad Khan delivered the closing remarks at the workshop.
Other speakers included Dr Muhammad Ashraf, IWMI’s Advisor for Science and Policy, and Dr Jehanzeb Masud Cheema, Deputy Country Representative of IWMI Pakistan.