Ministry of Water and Power
Office of the Chief Engineering Advisor/
Chairman Federal Flood Commission
PAKISTAN WATER SECTOR STRATEGY
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Volume 1
October 2002
Pakistan has been blessed with a rich water resource which has
driven, mainly through agriculture, the economic development of
the country. Pakistan has a long and proud history of the development
of water resources and the infrastructure for delivering water
to where it is needed, including the vast Indus Plain, constituting
the largest contiguous irrigation system in the world.
As the population continues to grow the country is approaching
the utilization limits of its water resources and Pakistan is
becoming a water scarce country. As never before, there is now
a strong and growing need to manage this precious resource more
carefully and efficiently to ensure water for all on a sustainable
basis.
In recognition of this need, the Government of Pakistan, with
the support of the Asian Development Bank, instituted the Water
Resources Strategy Study. It was undertaken by the Ministry of
Water and Power, Office of the Chief Engineering Advisor/Chairman
Federal Flood Commission. The Study began in July 2001 with the
main objective of preparing a road map for future development
of the water sector toward more efficient service delivery and
optimum utilisation of resources to meet the competing demands
of all water users in the future.
The Government has addressed the issue of developing the water
sector through several initiatives, including the Ten Year Perspective
Plan (Planning Commission, 2001), Vision 2025 (Water and Power
Development Authority, 2001) and the National Water Policy (Ministry
of Water and Power, Draft, 2002). Now the Pakistan Water Sector
Strategy Study provides a road map for the future development
of the sector.
The end product of the Study comprises three main documents which
are referred to in total as the Pakistan Water Sector Strategy.
These are:
1. The National Water Sector Profile (NWSP), which summarises
and details all aspects of the Water availability and utilisation
as they exist today. As such, it will become a standard source
document for future water sector work.
2. The National Water Sector Strateqy (NWSS). which identifies
the key issues and objectives for the water sector and proposals
for planning, development and management of water resources and
their use in all water sub-sectors.
3. The Medium Term Investment Plan (MTIP), which identifies the
key programmes and projects which should be undertaken up to 2011
which will make the initial contribution to achieve the objectives
of the Strategy.
This is a document for the whole of the water sector, in all
its sub-sectors of: Water Resources Development, Urban Water Supply
and Sanitation, Rural Water Supply and Sanitation, Industrial
Water Supply and Pollution Control, Irrigation and Drainage, Hydropower,
the Environment and Flood Protection.
As 95% of our water resources are used for agricultural purposes,
the role of the agriculture sector is also discussed extensively,
with recommendations and a proposed strategy for a closer relationship
with the water sector.
The Strategy and MTIP emphasize institutional, management and
financial matters as well as infrastructure. It prioritizes equity
in water allocation, improving and maintaining the quality of
water, the conservation of the country's water resources and the
need for efficiency and financial sustainability in water service
delivery. It promotes an integrated approach to water sector development
and participation of all stakeholders in decision making.
This is a collaborative document. The study adopted a participatory
approach to ensure that all stakeholders of water have been consulted
and have contributed to this Strategy and MTIP. Working Groups
from each province and at the federal level were formed at the
start of the Study and have been closely associated with the development
of the work throughout. Four National Workshops were held to broaden
the scope of stakeholder consultation, bringing people together
from all areas to contribute to the Strategy document.
The effective implementation of the Pakistan National Water Sector
Strategy and its accompanying Medium Term Investment Plan is paramount
to the continued development of Pakistan's water sector and economy
well into the 21st century.
Mirza Hamid Hasan
Secretary, Water and Power 4 October 2002
Riaz Ahmad Khan
Chief Engineering Advisor, Ministry of Water and Power 4 October
2002
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Ministry of Water and Power, Government of Pakistan, Office
of the Chief Engineering Advisor/Chairman Federal Flood Commission
led the development of the Water Sector Strategy under the guidance
of Mr. Riaz Ahmad Khan. Mr. Asjad Imtiaz Ali, Project Director,
also chaired the Federal Working Group.
The Provincial Working Groups contributed significantly to the
content and quality of the Strategy and Investment Plan for their
respective provinces under the guidance of their conveners:
Ministry of Water and Power also acknowledges and appreciates
the tremendous effort provided by the Consultants on the Study,
under the Team Leadership of Mr. Tim Hannan and Mr. Muhammad Aslam
Rasheed. The Consultant’s Consortium was led by Halcrow Group
Ltd. of the UK, in association with ARCADIS Euroconsult (AEC)
of the Netherlands, Halcrow Pakistan (PVT) Ltd., Euroconsult Pakistan
(PVT) Ltd., and Asianics, Pakistan.
The Water Resources Strategy Study was funded through the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) Technical Assistance programme and the
Ministry of Water and Power gratefully acknowledges their assistance.
The documents, which make up the Pakistan Water
Sector Strategy, are:
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