Islamabad to get three new dams to address water shortage: Talal Chaudhry

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has announced plans for the construction of three dams around Islamabad within the next three to four years saying the projects are intended to help address the capital’s growing water shortage.

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has announced plans for the construction of three dams around Islamabad within the next three to four years saying the projects are intended to help address the capital’s growing water shortage.

Speaking at a convention in Islamabad, the minister outlined a series of proposed measures aimed at improving security, water management, waste collection and civic services in the federal capital.

Chaudhry said Islamabad would be brought under comprehensive camera surveillance as part of efforts to strengthen security and improve monitoring across the city. He also said the government planned to recruit 10,000 new personnel for the Islamabad Police adding that appointments would be made on merit.

Discussing the existing police structure, the minister claimed that around 70 percent of the Islamabad Police force was above the age of 55. He said the planned recruitment would help address manpower requirements and strengthen the city’s security system.

On water availability, Chaudhry said Pakistan was facing a significant water shortage and that Islamabad also needed additional water resources. He announced that three dams were planned for the capital and said they were expected to be completed within three to four years.

The minister also spoke about the need to improve Islamabad’s municipal management. He said the city currently lacked an adequate system for regular waste collection and announced plans to introduce a waste management system based on international standards.

Chaudhry further discussed the need for a governance structure designed specifically for Islamabad. He argued that residents of the capital should have a system suited to the city’s particular requirements.

Referring to enforcement and land management, the minister said authorities had recovered government land worth around Rs1.1 trillion in Islamabad.

He also urged citizens to consider candidates’ performance and work when casting their votes rather than making decisions based on personal appearance family or community affiliations.

Chaudhry criticised what he described as negative political practices and said voters should carefully assess the performance of political representatives before making electoral choices.

He also raised concerns about the pressure placed on Islamabad’s infrastructure by services and activities extending beyond the capital. Referring to public transport he noted that the number of passengers using the Metro Bus service in a single day could exceed the number of votes received by some political groups in Islamabad.

The minister additionally referred to emergency vehicles and ambulances from another province entering the federal capital presenting the situation as an example of the wider pressures on Islamabad’s civic infrastructure.

The announcements form part of the government’s proposed efforts to upgrade Islamabad’s water supply, security, waste management and administrative systems over the coming years.