Pakistan water sector strategy 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. [authors abstract]