ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources has elected Senator Pir Sabir Shah as its new Chairman, here on Thursday.

The position of Chairman Standing Committee on Water Resources became vacant after Dr Musadik Masood Malik took oath as Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources.

Senator Quratul Ain Murri proposed the name of Senator Pir Sabir Shah as chairman of the committee which was seconded by Senator Taj Haider. On being elected as chairman committee of the Water Resources, Senator Sabir Shah thanked the members of the committee and said that he would earn the trust of his colleagues.

The newly-elected chairman of the committee called for working together to fulfill the responsibility entrusted to them.

Senators termed water issue as a major problem of the country and assured their full support in this regard. Senator Taj Haider said that the agriculture sector needs to be developed to alleviate poverty which is interlinked with the appropriate and timely distribution of water.

Senator Humayun Mohmand remarked that unfortunately water issue has been neglected, adding that the water level below the ground is declining rapidly which calls for impactful actions to be taken at the earliest.

The meeting of the Standing Committee was attended by Senators Taj Haider, Quratul Ain Murri, Muhammad Humayun Mohmand, and Gurdeep Singh, along with Joint Secretary Senate Secretariat, Rabia Anwar and other Senate officials.