President Asif Ali Zardari has emphasised the need for availability of clean drinking water and reiterated the continued commitment of government to ensure sustainable access to safe drinking water for all. The President, in his message on the occasion of World Water Day being observed on March 22, said that the government had taken a number of steps to ensure safe drinking water to the people to promote greater international co-operation for the conservation of water.
The government has also devised National Drinking Water Policy and National Drinking Water Standards, he added. He said that the policy placed special emphasis on establishment of new drinking water systems, up-gradation of existing schemes, water conservation, quality improvement, water treatment and on water sector management information system.
The President said that it was reassuring that the Ministry of Climate Change was co-ordinating with the provincial governments on the implementation of this policy. He said that availability of water was most critical for sustaining life. Indeed it was life itself. "Ensuring access to safe drinking water, therefore, has been accorded very high priority by the Government of Pakistan," he added.