Cooperation on shared water resources urged

Climatic challenges on the global level necessitate an increased level of cooperation between countries sharing water resources.

This was the crux of a two-day provincial workshop on trans-boundary water governance held Feb 7-8 at a local hotel. WWF-Pakistan, in collaboration with Centre for Public Policy and Governance (CPPG), Forman Christian (FC) College, conducted the workshop that focused on raising awareness and increasing the capacity of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and various other groups on the issues.

The discussions were global in scope, with a particular focus on River Ravi. Taking the Ravi stretch from Madhopur, India, to Lahore, Pakistan, as a case study example of a trans-boundary river, key challenges and their impact on the agriculture sector, urban and marginalized communities regarding water quantity and quality were brought under discussion during the workshop dialogue sessions.

Hammad Naqi Khan of WWF-Pakistan, in the opening session highlighted the importance of a domestic, bi- and multilateral mechanism to support the many international water cooperation agreements in place. 

He said: “The climatic challenges we are facing on the global level demands an increased level of cooperation between countries over shared water resources. Such cooperation over trans-boundary waters tunities for riparian states to sustainable development and improved livelihoods; water, food and energy security; flood and drought prevention; and a healthy ecosystem.”

Similarly, Dr. Saeed Shafqat, Chairperson of CPPG, FC College, said that there is a yawning difference between policy narratives of the government and the ground realities in Pakistan. “Through dialogue, deliberation and research we aim to enhance a culture of research that feeds into policy arena. Such initiatives, we expect can help us move from a belief-based to knowledge-based society. This is the spirit and expectation with which we are collaborating with WWF-Pakistan to support research initiatives that bridge the gap between applied research and policy process.” He said that the research carried out should align with the realities of the region.

Abdul Khaliq Khan, adviser to Wapda Chairperson, talked about the importance of river rehabilitation. He was of the opinion that the restoration of River Ravi should have started 10 years ago by adapting various modern-day techniques in the city of Lahore, like rainwater harvesting.

In addition to this, the participants also gave their feedback on how effective governance by water departments can help overcome issues and challenges.

The event was attended by a diverse group of civil society representatives, local government department officials, and representatives from research and academia for a need-based discussion on water management.