Deputy Speaker calls for enhanced cooperation to deal with water shortage issues  

Islamabad: A delegation of Pakistani parliamentarians is in New York to represent the country at Annual Parliamentary hearing at the United Nations.

The delegation, headed by Deputy Speaker National Assembly Zahid Akram Durrani, includes Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Senator Sana Jamali, Senator Naseema Ehsan, Senator Farooq Hamid Naek, Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir and Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman.

During the opening session of the Annual Parliamentary Meeting, Deputy Speaker, Zahid Akram Durrani made an intervention on the access to safe water and hygiene as a basic human need for health and well-being.

He emphasized on the need for enhanced cooperation on water as climate change increasingly impacts water availability especially in South Asia.

Regarding Water stress levels, which are considered when water demands of a country exceeds its water supply, the Deputy Speaker expressed his concern that “globally water stress levels remained safe at 18.6 per cent in 2019, yet South Asia registered high levels of water stress at over 75 per cent.”

He said Pakistan is estimated to be among the top ten water scarce countries in the world.

To overcome these challenges, the Deputy Speaker stated the need for three essential requirements: finance, technology transfer and enhanced international cooperation. 

In the second session on access to safe water as a human right, Senator Sana Jamali, during her intervention, made references to the 2010 and 2015 United Nations recognition of the consumptions of safe water as a basic human right in accordance with international law under the Human Rights Council.

She called upon duty bearers and international organizations to aid the developing nations by widening their capacities, providing financial resources, and technology transfer in accessing affordable and safe drinking water as well as improving sanitation and hygienic situations for all.

The 2023 Annual Parliamentary Meeting is being held from Feb 13. to Feb 14 as a joint initiative of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Office of the President of the General Assembly.

Later, Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani met President of General Assembly (PGA), Csaba Korosi, on the sidelines of the Annual Parliamentary Hearing at the United Nations.

Meanwhile, the Parliamentary delegation from Pakistan also met UN Assistant Secretary General for Economic Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Navid Hanif on sidelines of Annual Parliamentary Hearing.

They discussed issues concerning water scarcity and climate change and underlined the need for international cooperation to achieve water goals and promote climate agenda.