One can see this from the National Drinking Water Policy of Pakistan which says, “Access to safe drinking water is the basic human right of every citizen and it is responsibility of the state to ensure its provision to all citizens.” One can also imagine the seriousness of the government in implementation of the policy by looking at the fact that currently Pakistan’s major cities are facing worsening water shortage because of the rapid depletion of ground water.
The situation of water shortage is not any different even in Islamabad — the federal capital and the only planned city with a population of more than two million.
Islamabad has long been facing a challenge of water shortage every year.
Consequently, citizens bear an additional financial pressure on their monthly expenses due to an inadequate water supply.
Islamabad is managed by two key offices, ie, the CDA and the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI).
Regarding water issues, the debate of jurisdiction and mandate of these two authorities can be circumvented due to the reason that the mayor of MCI is also chairing the CDA.
In the first month of 2018, the CDA circulated a public notice to prevent waste of water to ensure continued water supply for necessary use till monsoon.
To solve the issue, the MCI and the CDA should establish a long-term ‘Water Master Plan’ to ensure sufficient water supply for the projected demand.
To achieve the objectives, multi-stakeholder engagement and capacity-building of the relevant institutions at the local level is also required.
Awareness campaigns aimed at increasing behavioural change should be based on the national water policy.