Water Security is Linked to Pakistan’s Food, National Security: Speaker NA
Islamabad – 20 August, 2026 (MT Team) : Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, while delivering the keynote address at a Parliamentary Seminar on Water Governance, titled “Evidence from Local, Low-Cost Solutions for Water Security and Flood Resilience,” hosted by the SDGs Secretariat at Parliament House, Islamabad, and organized by the Parliamentary Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasized that water is life and its conservation is intrinsically linked to Pakistan’s food security, economic stability, and national security.
Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has also said that water is no longer merely a sectoral issue but has emerged as a critical matter of national security. “Water does not belong to any one political party; it is a national issue that concerns the entire country,” he said, stressing that ensuring access to clean water is a shared national responsibility.
Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that India’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty was a clear violation of international law. He emphasized the need for national consensus and a long-term strategy to address Pakistan’s water challenges, saying that the country must move beyond temporary measures and adopt sustainable, permanent solutions.
Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called for making water harvesting a priority for both the federal and provincial governments. He further stressed the need to introduce sustainable water-recycling systems at the federal and provincial levels to improve groundwater levels and conserve precious water resources.
NA Speaker said that the federal and provincial governments should accord special attention to the construction of water reservoirs and small dams. He emphasized that close cooperation between the Federal and provinces was essential for effective management of water resources.
Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that Pakistan is blessed with abundant water resources; however, these resources need to be used prudently and efficiently. He stressed that effective implementation of the National Water Policy and institutional coordination are essential for sustainable water management.
Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq called for ensuring transparent utilization of funds allocated for water-related projects and said that Parliament’s responsibility extends beyond legislation to effective oversight of public policies.
Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that responsible investment, modern technology, reduction of water wastage and restoration of groundwater resources are essential components of a comprehensive water-security strategy.
NA Speaker stressed that political differences must be set aside to develop a national consensus on the water issue. “Water security is human security, economic security and national security,” he said.
While delivering her remarks, the Convenor of the Parliamentary Task Force on SDGs, Ms. Shaista Pervaiz, MNA, said that water security is not merely an issue of water scarcity but also involves the sustainable use and management of water resources. She said that improving Pakistan’s water resources is a shared responsibility and stressed the need to protect and further strengthen the country’s abundant water resources.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary said that Pakistan had not built a new water reservoir in the last 50 years, stressing the need to increase the storage capacity of existing reservoirs and construct new ones to address the country’s limited and increasingly scarce water resources amid the adverse impacts of climate change.
Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives said the incumbent Indian Government’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty was an act of water weaponization against Pakistan, citing the disruption of water flows in the River Chenab by withholding water for several days and releasing it at once. He stressed that Pakistan needed additional water reservoirs to strengthen its capacity to withstand such threats and ensure water security.
Federal Minister, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary also expressed concern over the decline in development financing, noting that the PSDP had fallen from 2.6 percent of GDP in 2018 to 0.6 percent in 2026. He said the PSDP allocation remained at around Rs. 1 trillion in both 2018 and 2026, which, after accounting for inflation, represented only about Rs. 250–300 billion in real terms. He stressed the need for effective utilization of the PSDP, stronger local government financing and robust disaster-risk financing to scale up proven local solutions across the country.
The seminar was attended by MNAs Syed Ali Qasim Gillani, Faisal Amin Khan, Zeb Jaffar, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Kiran Haider, Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Sher Ali Arbab, Rana Ansar, Akhtar Bibi, Muneeba Iqbal, Mahtab Akbar Rashdi, Sabheen Ghoury, Farah Naz Akbar, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, Ghazala Anjum, Mah Jabeen Khan Abbasi and Shaista Khan, as well as the Chairman CDA, Chairman NDMA, Chairman Federal Flood Commission, Chairman IRSA, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, and representatives of UNDP, World Bank, WaterAid, UNICEF and IWMI.
