Islamabad: A parliamentary taskforce subgroup convened a session on the “Living Indus Initiative” at the Parliament House on Tuesday, spotlighting the urgent need to address the deteriorating health of the Indus Water Basin. Led by Syed Hafeez Uddin, the briefing focused on challenges such as climate change, unchecked pollution, and resource strain, as presented by a team from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Syed Hafeez Uddin, the convenor, highlighted the pressing nature of the situation, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing legislative measures, green infrastructure, and a Living Indus Knowledge Platform. These were among the 25 interventions identified, eight of which have been prioritized in collaboration with the Minister of Climate and Change for COP 27.

Several members of the National Assembly (MNAs) expressed the need for financially viable solutions to combat pollution and water quality deterioration. Ms. Shaista Pervez Malik called for heightened awareness among communities along the Indus River, while Mr. Riaz Fatyana sought international support to mitigate the adverse impacts of the Indus Water Treaty on the nation’s water resources.

The discussion also covered the trade tariffs’ impact on financial capacity, as noted by Ms. Zahra Wadood Fatemi, who advocated for water conservation and domestic austerity measures. Other MNAs, including Ms. Rana Ansar, urged regular surveys by relevant authorities to monitor water quality and quantity, while Mr. Sohail Sultan emphasized the need to prevent industrial waste from contaminating water bodies.

Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro raised concerns about wildlife mortality due to pollution, stressing the importance of educating the youth and developing collaborative long-term restoration strategies. She highlighted initiatives like the 100 Dams Project and the installation of reverse osmosis plants in Sindh as steps toward addressing these issues.

The session concluded with Syed Hafeez Uddin expressing gratitude to the MNAs for their input. Key recommendations included fostering public-private partnerships, ensuring regular progress briefings, and seeking comprehensive updates from the Ministry of Climate Change in future meetings. The taskforce aims to implement contextually appropriate and feasible measures to restore the Indus River Basin effectively.