ISLAMABAD: “Pakistan is among the top ten most vulnerable countries to climate change. One of the consequences of climate change is water scarcity. China-Pakistan water cooperation can help Pakistan cope with climate change and its derived disasters by managing water sources through the application of technical means”, highlighted Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, Chairman of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR).
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said last month that more than 10 million people, including children, still lack access to safe drinking water after the catastrophic flood in 2022. Flooding, the worst in 30 years, is threatening even the soil and vast groundwater reserves.
Pakistan has a chronic water shortage problem, which has been exacerbated by the floods.
Since the floods began, the China-Pakistan Youth Exchange Community has been providing food, temporary shelters, and drinking water stations in the worst-affected areas. In the flood-ravaged Dadu district, where many families have been displaced, the community has constructed 260 tent villages and is constructing a purified water station, which will provide clean water to nearly 10,000 people across eight villages.
Ma Bin, head of the community, said improving water management and infrastructure requires a lot of money, and he called for more assistance from Chinese and international organizations.
Last year, PCRWR signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China Water Resources Beifang Investigation, Design, and Research Co. Ltd. (BIDR) to contribute to Pakistan’s development in water management and smart irrigation. –Agencies
