ISLAMABAD, APR 24 (DNA) – The Council of Common Interests (CCI) on Tuesday unanimously approved first-ever water policy and Pakistan Water Charter.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, and Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Quddus Bizenjo signed the Water Charter.

The meeting also appreciated the role of Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Sartaj Aziz and Minister for Water Resources Syed Javed Ali Shah for their contribution in reaching out a consensus.

The meeting is also expected to approve development budget for the next fiscal year.

The national water policy includes strategic initiatives and is in line with the National Climate Change Policy 2012.

Earlier, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Sartaj Aziz had presented the draft at the 36th meeting of the CCI during which the participants agreed that the proposed policy be brought before the next meeting after incorporating suggestions from the provinces.

Speaking on the occasion, Sartaj Aziz said that Pakistan was rapidly becoming a water-scarce country with declining water table, lesser rainfall, declining water storage and was meeting its obligation of Sustainable Development Goals by moving towards Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM).

He said urgent measures were needed to meet the growing water demands owing to increasing population. He said there was an urgent need to enhance water storage capacity to help future water needs.

Under the water policy, administrative bodies would be set up at the federal and provincial levels, including National Water Council, and Provincial Water Authorities to improve coordination for better water resource management.