Gilani calls for stronger groundwater governance, sustained funding for water security

Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to promoting water security through legislation

ISLAMABAD:  Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to promoting water security through legislation, effective oversight and sustained financial support, describing water conservation as a national priority.

Addressing the inaugural session of the sixth Pakistan Water Week 2026, Mr Gilani stressed the need to translate policy commitments into practical measures to improve water management and protect communities affected by floods and water shortages.

The five-day conference, being held in Islamabad from November 2 to 6, brings together more than 200 participants to discuss strategies for strengthening water security, climate resilience and sustainable food systems.

Mr Gilani highlighted three key areas requiring parliamentary attention: effective legislation, robust oversight and consistent budgetary allocations. He emphasised the implementation of provincial water laws and called for improved governance of groundwater resources.

He said Parliament must evaluate whether water policies were delivering benefits to farmers, particularly those situated at the tail end of irrigation networks, and whether early warning systems were effectively reaching vulnerable communities before disasters struck.

The Senate chairman stressed that public spending should prioritise preventive measures alongside emergency response and rehabilitation. He noted that solar-powered agricultural pumps had eased farmers’ difficulties but warned that uncontrolled groundwater extraction could threaten long-term water sustainability.

He advocated regulating aquifer usage, introducing planned groundwater recharge and utilising floodwater to replenish underground reserves. Sharing credible data among provinces, he said, was essential for building mutual trust and strengthening cooperation in water management.

Mr Gilani also called for the meaningful participation of women, young people and farming communities in developing and implementing water policies.

Reflecting on his tenure as prime minister during the devastating 2010 floods, he said Pakistan continued to face the challenges of both excessive water and declining availability. The 2022 floods affected approximately 33 million people and caused over $30 billion in damages and economic losses, while nearly seven million people were impacted by floods last year.

He noted that per capita water availability had declined from over 5,000 cubic metres to approximately 1,000 cubic metres, highlighting the growing pressure on the country’s water resources.

“Too much water and too little, sometimes in the same districts within the same year,” he observed.

Emphasising that response alone could not ensure resilience, Mr Gilani questioned whether reconstruction initiatives were adequately addressing vulnerabilities or simply rebuilding communities in high-risk areas.

He reiterated Pakistan’s position that the Indus Waters Treaty remained valid and binding, maintaining that water should never be used as a tool of political pressure. He called for building a water-secure and flood-resilient Pakistan by 2047, marking the country’s centenary.

IWMI Pakistan Country Representative Dr Muhammad Ashraf said water security was directly connected to food security, climate resilience and economic stability. He urged conference participants to develop clear commitments, assign responsibilities and establish timelines for implementation.

In his keynote address, IWMI Strategic Programme Director for Water, Food and Ecosystems Dr Mohsin Hafeez said Pakistan possessed considerable research and policy recommendations but needed collective determination to implement them.

He stressed that decisions made at the conference must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of farmers.

The event is organised by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the CGIAR Policy Innovations Science Program in collaboration with the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources and the Ministry of Water Resources.

The programme features two thematic tracks comprising 13 sessions each, alongside plenary discussions on development partners’ water and climate priorities and governance in the Indus Basin. The closing ceremony is scheduled for November 5, with the conference concluding on November 6.

Concluding his address, Mr Gilani urged participants to measure the success of their commitments by the difference they made to a farmer in Thar, a family living along the Ravi or a child in Quetta awaiting access to clean drinking water.