LAHORE: On the occasion of World Water Day, a ceremony was held at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in which water experts, institutions related to water resources, academics and a large number of civil society members participated.
Senior Vice President of Lahore chamber Chaudhry Zafar Mahmood, while discussing the worst effects of climate change on Pakistan, said that there is an urgent need for planning to resolve water problems. If timely measures are not taken, a famine-like situation may arise in Pakistan after a few years.
Former LCCI president Abdul Basit, Engineer Sohail Lashari, Sindh Basin Water Council Chairman Sulaiman Khan, Engineer MH Siddiqui, Engineer Najam Waheed President of Pakistan Engineering Congress, Dr Zahid Siddiqui, Dr Shahid Ali, Dr Waseem, Mehdi Atta Ghazali, Air Vice Marshal Anwar Mehmood Khan (R), Zahid Javed Raja, Afzal Goraya, Iftikhar Randhawa, Captain Qadeer, Colonel Ashfaq Hussain (R), Shahid Karim Mazari, Faisal Arshad, Rana Ameer Muhammad Khan, Rana Shahid, Engineer Mushtaq, Prof Siddiqui and Dr Javed and a large number of civil society members expressed their views. Engineer Shamsul Mulk and Peer Dr Mehdi Raza Shah Sajjada Nishin Lal Shehbaz Qalandar addressed telephonic.
The speakers expressed their views and said that there is no shortage of water resources in Pakistan, but due to disputes between provinces, 30 million acre feet of water is wasted annually. If this water is put to use, the national economy can increase by 60 billion dollars annually, with which we can clear all our debt in just two to three years.
It is important that all obstacles in the way of national development projects including water resources should be removed. In this regard, the course of action should be determined with the cooperation of the experts of the four provinces. In addition to controlling flood water, there is also a need to implement rainwater conservation practices. Even barren lands can be used with this. Apart from relieving the country from malnutrition by using modern methods of agriculture, it is also possible to make it possible for the nation to get cheap hydropower.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023