Removal of encroachments along riversides: Inaction will be an offence, Senate panel tells FFC

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources on Tuesday issued a stern warning to the Federal Flood Commission (FFC), an arm of the Ministry of Water Resources, demanding the removal of encroachments along riversides and waterways within one month, failing which it will be treated as an offense, not mere negligence.

Currently there are hundreds of encroachments across the country, obstructing the natural flow of floodwaters and rain, causing financial losses amounting to billions of rupees in terms of damaged properties, crops, land, and livestock during the monsoon season.

Presided over by Senator Shahadat Awan, the Committee expressed its dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Water Resources for failing to comply with previous directives to provide accurate data regarding encroachments in Punjab.

Officials revealed that according to data provided by SUPARCO, major encroachments in Punjab were not removed after August 2024. The February 2025 report from SUPARCO showed 153 encroachments in the Sargodha Irrigation Zone and 676 in the Multan Irrigation Zone. The FFC representative claimed that all encroachments had been removed before August 2024 but failed to provide any data to substantiate this claim.

The Committee recommended that the FFC, along with the Ministry of Water Resources, coordinate with the relevant provincial authorities to ensure that all encroachments along riversides are removed within one month. The committee also directed that a full report be presented in the next meeting.

The Chairman stressed that if the encroachments are not cleared before the upcoming monsoon season, it will be considered a criminal act, and all responsible parties will face charges. Furthermore, the FFC must act on the Supreme Court’s directive in the Marvi Memon case concerning encroachments, and report back to the Committee.

The Chairman also warned that if the FFC fails to obtain data on encroachments from the provinces, the organization should be shut down. The acting Chairman of the FFC was cautioned that if authentic data is not provided within one month, the Committee will recommend his dismissal for being “ineligible.”

The Secretary Water Resources also expressed displeasure over the messy presentation of data by the acting Chairman of the FFC. However, he assured the Committee that the removal of encroachments would be completed within a month and that he would meet with the Secretary of Irrigation in Punjab to address the issue.

Regarding the Water Policy 2018, the Committee inquired about the budget required for its implementation. The Ministry’s representative stated that they would need 324 billion rupees to execute the policy.

The Committee also discussed the critical issue of water depletion in Pakistan. The Ministry committed to developing a plan to address this issue in coordination with all provinces, in compliance with a Lahore High Court order.

In the matter of dam safety legislation, the Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources confirmed that a draft law is in progress and will be finalized within two months. The Dams’ Safety Act will also incorporate tunnel safety provisions.

Senator Khalil Tahir raised concerns about the K-4 project, which aims to supply water to Karachi, noting that work has been suspended for the past 18 months. The Chairman clarified that the K-4 project, meant to serve 300 million people, is proceeding, but at a slow pace due to delayed fund releases. This issue will be included in the agenda for the next meeting.

“If it had been a canal for Cholistan, an amount of Rs 211 billion would have been approved, but because it’s for Karachi, the project is moving slowly,” the Chairman remarked.

The Committee also discussed the bill concerning water management in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). Officials informed the Committee that the Ministry is consulting with the CDA and other relevant stakeholders for effective water management. Senator Shahadat Awan pointed out the unfortunate fact that, despite the available resources, the CDA does not have a Flood Management Plan for ICT. The Committee directed the Ministry to submit a comprehensive report on water management within two months.

Senators Faisal Saleem Rehman, Khalil Tahir, Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, Secretary of Water Resources Syed Ali Murtaza, and other senior officials of the relevant departments were present.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025