Good Morning Excellencies and Colleagues, I begin by thanking Egypt and Finland for organizing this event. I am also thankful for the participation of their Minister in the event. This shows the leadership and commitment we require to achieve water related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Excellencies, Water is inextricably linked to human life and livelihood and the eco-system of our planet. It is at the core of sustainable development and impacts all its three dimensions, says a press release received here today from New York.
Protection of water as a natural resource is a common thread in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Many SDGs such as SDG6 Water, SDG13 climate, and (SDGs14 and 15 environment related are directly impacted with it. Ending poverty and hunger SDG1 and 2, and good health and well-being SDG3, and affordable and clean energy SDG 7 are also immensely impacted by water. Excellencies, With agriculture as the mainstay of its economy, Pakistan attaches great significance to sustainable water management. Beyond agriculture, water scarcity is already taking a toll on peoples’ life in Pakistan. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has placed Pakistan among the top ten water scarce countries in the world. Pakistan’s water-scarcity is owed to Pakistan’s status asa lower-riparian state with unpredictable flow of waters in our eastern rivers. Many of our catchment areas and their ecosystems traverse boundaries. Changes on the other side of the border have a direct impact on us. Therefore, full compliance of 1960 Indus Waters Treaty is critical for Pakistan. These risks and vulnerabilities are not just academic issues. We have already confronted them in the shape of widespread devastation caused by massive floods in 2010 and 2011, and drought in the province of Sindh in 2014. Besides the tragic human and material cost, these water-related threats also impede our ability to accomplish national priorities, promote sustainable growth and development, and ensure economic prosperity for our people. Excellencies, It is with this understanding that we joined the core group of drafters of the “Joint Statement for the High Level Meeting” last year. We are pleased to note that an overwhelming majority of the UN members joined the statement.
For effective water management we must strengthen cooperation and eco-system approaches. In this regard, I propose: One, standards and regulatory limits should be enhanced and implemented to govern discharge into water bodies, ensure ecological standards in water quality, and maintain the run-off in our rivers in order to maintain ecosystem services. Two, environmental principles like precaution, polluter pays, and no-harm should be observed in maintaining our fresh water resources including trans boundary rivers, and; Three, due consideration should be given to trans-boundary effects of water related disasters and priority should be accorded to exchange of information and joint management of trans boundary water resources including river and lake basins. Fourth, valuation of water related infrastructures has been seriously flawed. Investments in resilient and sustainable infrastructures in water and sanitation is urgently required to be tripled from the current level to achieve our water related goals. I thank you.
*-*-*-*
