ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources has voiced its frustration over the continuous absence of the Chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Lt General Sajjad Ghani (retired), from committee meetings.
At a meeting chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan, it was noted that the agenda related to Wapda would be postponed until the next meeting due to the chairman’s absence.
However, the committee proceeded with discussions regarding the Ministry of Water Resources (MOWR) compliance with previous recommendations.
The committee was briefed on the growing issue of land encroachments, which have significantly impacted flood management efforts across the country. Provinces such as Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), and Balochistan have witnessed increasing occupation of lands near rivers and canals, raising concerns that this could worsen flooding during the monsoon season.
Senator Awan emphasised the urgency of addressing encroachments, stating, “We need to know how many cases are pending in the courts and the exact locations of these encroachments. Had there been no encroachments, the flood situation would not have been as severe.”
The committee noted that KPK reported 153 encroachments, with 87 already removed. Punjab had 153 encroachments near rivers, while Sindh recorded 26 cases, of which, 11 have been cleared. However, the committee expressed concern that the details for Balochistan were still pending.
To improve monitoring, the Federal Minister for Water Resources, Musadik Malik, suggested involving the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) for satellite surveillance to track encroachments more effectively. “Suparco will help us monitor encroachments with greater accuracy,” he said.
The committee has directed provincial governments to provide comprehensive details on the locations and extent of encroachments by the next meeting, emphasising the need for transparency.
Despite receiving a briefing, the committee members raised concerns over the insufficient details provided, particularly, regarding the specific locations of encroachments. Senator Faisal Saleem pointed out the severe consequences of encroachments, citing the destruction of hotels in Swat by floods. He remarked, “We only realised encroachments were a major factor when hotels were washed away, and that information came from satellite data, not from site visits.”
The meeting concluded with a call for further discussions on previous recommendations, highlighting the need for accurate data and effective measures to prevent flooding and land encroachments. The committee urged provincial governments to respond with detailed reports and work towards the monitoring and removal of illegal encroachments. With satellite data now available, the issue of encroachments can be tracked more efficiently, providing a means to reduce future flood risks.
The meeting was attended by senators, Faisal Saleem Rahman, Saadia Abbasi, Tahir Khalil, and Poonjo Bheel, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Water Resources.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025