Political parties in Pakistan will include issues of provision of drinking water and better sanitation in the manifestos for General Elections 2018 Pakistan: Islamabad: Major parliamentary political parties have affirmed their commitment towards featuring provision of clean drinking water, safe sanitation and hygiene awareness in their manifestos being prepared for Pakistan General Elections 2018 to improve the lives and health of the citizenry.
The political parties were of the view that giving top priority to drinking water and sanitation in their respective manifestos would not only improve the quality of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services but also support improvements in the health and education sectors of the country’s development agenda.
Among the political parties Senator Taj Haider of Pakistan People Party said that availability of clean drinking and public access for it serious issues in Pakistan.
His government in Sindh has focused its lenses to resolve sanitation issues and to ensure clean drinking water for common man.
All political parties must go one step ahead to implement and to improve the quality of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services it with full political will.
MQM MNA Kishwar Zehra said that 90% population of Karachi does not have access to clean drinking water.
The speakers agreed that Pakistan was one of the most densely populated countries in South Asia and lacked behind in the provision and access to quality water, sanitation and hygiene both in rural and urban areas.
Pakistan was among those countries who achieved its Millennium Development Goal (MDG) for sanitation with 64 percent of the population using improved sanitation facilities.
Between 2000 and 2017, the number of people practicing open defecation reduced from 39 percent to 11 percent, access to improved sanitation increased from 35 percent to 73 percent.
The participants actively interacted with the speakers, exchanged views, and expressed that during General Election 2013 there were limited commitments from most of the political party within party manifestos and stressed that with growing population and widespread poverty the provision of safe drinking water, decent sanitation and hygiene awareness must be the top priority of the entire political leadership.