ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, has announced the formation of a high-level committee to oversee a major water supply project for Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The committee, headed by the Interior Minister, was constituted by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to tackle the worsening water crisis in the capital region.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Talal Chaudhry responded to a call-attention notice by MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan, who highlighted the dangerously low groundwater levels in Islamabad. He said the water table, which was at 10 metres in 1960, has now dropped to over 120 metres due to rapid population growth and urbanisation.
Islamabad requires around 120 million gallons of water daily, but the Capital Development Authority (CDA) currently provides only 60 million gallons—fulfilling nearly 90% of the urban and just 15–20% of the rural demand.
The minister said a mega water supply project is urgently needed to meet the growing demand. A feasibility study for the project is already in progress.
To improve groundwater recharge, he said CDA has revised building by-laws, making rainwater harvesting compulsory for all new residential and commercial buildings. Soak wells are also being installed to allow rainwater to seep into the ground, and the practice of boring for underground water is being discouraged.
In the short term, treated water from the Sangjani plant and water tankers from Khanpur are being used to fill the supply gap.
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Talal Chaudhry also shared that water charges for residents are far below the actual cost. Those living in 10-marla houses pay Rs192 per month, while residents of one-kanal houses are billed Rs280—covering only about 50% of the actual supply cost.
On the issue of rural water supply, he said the government has launched 44 schemes worth billions of rupees, but only 12 are currently operational. The rest face delays due to faulty equipment or unpaid electricity bills.
Meanwhile, PML-N MNA Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said more than 1.2 million people in Islamabad’s rural areas lack regular access to water. He said the government plans to build small dams in Shahdara, Chirah, and parts of Rawalpindi to address the imbalance.
“We are committed to resolving this crisis during our term in office,” he assured the House.
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