The Ministry of Water Resources has placed the Rs 824.493 billion National Flood Protection Programme–IV before the Council of Common Interests (CCI) for approval after provinces refused to contribute their financial shares, according to a news report.
The Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources was informed on Monday that Pakistan will need an additional 70 million acre-feet of water by 2050 as population growth continues to strain the country’s water system. Wapda officials said demand for agriculture alone will increase by 60 MAF and urban consumption by 10 MAF, underscoring the need to push ahead with new storage projects.
The Ministry of Water Resources separately told the committee that the Rs 824.493 billion National Flood Protection Programme–IV has been submitted to the Council of Common Interests for approval. Officials said the matter has been escalated to the CCI after provinces refused to finance their respective shares. The federal share in the programme stands at Rs 77.533 billion, while the provincial component amounts to Rs 746.961 billion.
In its briefing, Wapda said five short-term storage projects are expected to be completed by 2030. These include Diamer-Bhasha Dam with 8.1 MAF capacity and 4,500 MW generation, Mohmand Dam with 1.29 MAF and 800 MW, Kurram Tangi-II with 1.2 MAF and 18.9 MW, Naulong Dam with 0.3 MAF and 4.2 MW, and Nai Gaj Dam with 0.24 MAF and 4.4 MW. Together, these schemes will add 11.13 MAF to national storage.
Secretary Water Resources Syed Ali Murtaza told the committee that NFPP-IV comprises 375 schemes, including 170 sub-projects in Phase-I valued at Rs 195.625 billion and 205 sub-projects in Phase-II worth Rs 629.868 billion. He said all codal formalities have been completed and the ministry hopes the CCI will approve the plan at its next meeting.
The committee turned its attention to encroachments on riverbanks and nullahs, where 897 structures remain un-cleared nationwide. Provincial data presented to the panel showed Punjab has removed 1,790 out of 2,687 encroachments, Sindh 6 out of 164, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 126 out of 377. In Balochistan, no encroachments have been removed despite several being identified. Information from Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir is still awaited.
Responding to questions about delays, the Secretary said the ministry’s role is limited to writing letters to provinces and departments for updates, adding that responses often do not arrive on time. Committee Chairman Senator Shahadat Awan said the panel would convey the issue to the Prime Minister, remarking that the “helplessness” of a federal secretary raises concerns about inter-governmental coordination.
Wapda’s General Manager (Hydel) briefed the committee on broader water challenges, noting that projects worth USD 26 billion — including Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand — are underway. He said funding constraints and security concerns remain major risks to timely completion.
The briefing also highlighted Pakistan’s dependence on upstream flows from India. Officials said the Chenab River alone contributes 23 MAF annually to Pakistan’s irrigation system, but its entire catchment lies in India. Over the past decade, 51 percent of western rivers’ water entering Pakistan originated in India, raising the risk of shortages through upstream interventions.
The Secretary informed the committee that a draft bill to establish a Dams Safety Council has been prepared with Asian Development Bank support and is undergoing final revisions following consultations held in October. He noted that no feasible storage options exist on the Ravi and Sutlej rivers, while plans for storage on the Chenab at Chiniot are moving ahead.
The Ministry also briefed the panel on plans to install 520 flood telemetry systems nationwide at a cost of Rs 39.934 billion. Under the arrangement, JICA will fund 45 stations, while the Asian Development Bank will finance 457 stations.
The Standing Committee expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of encroachment removal and issued a two-month deadline for provinces to complete the task. The panel also took notice of SUPARCO’s failure to submit verification reports and directed that the matter be treated as a breach of privilege of the Committee.
The Chairman further instructed the Secretary of Water Resources to ensure that all relevant department heads, along with those absent in the previous session, attend the next meeting to determine responsibility for delays and ensure smoother proceedings.
