Pakistan’s Vision Statement

The components of Pakistan’s Vision Statement, as contained in the Country Report, and which would impact on the formulation of the FFA are brought out below:

Policy & Institutional Issues

Integration of Water Sector

Pakistan in 2025 envisages a complete transformation of the water sector into an integrated sector with complete co-ordination and link between the various departments and agencies working in the sector and availability of institution that addresses the problem of irrigated agriculture and interacts with farmers. There is expected to be integrated water resource management not through massive investments but through networking and reinforcing a networking idea among partners and through integrated planning which looks upon the basin as a unit.

Governance

As a part of good governance, Pakistan’s vision for the future is to have a government which acts as a catalyst and as a facilitator for the Private sector, local communities and representatives of civil society to achieve the overall objectives of sustainable development in the country. The government will facilitate the process through an appropriate policy framework and transform its role from “allocative planning to indicative planning” and from “directs intervention to market signals”. The quality and quantity of human endeavor will be the key to good governance.

Policy Forums for Discussion & Debate

Pakistan’s vision includes the existence of institutional forums where policy issues are discussed and debated and policy alternatives are considered with full knowledge and maturity. The political leadership of the country allows for open and accountable decision making.

Participation of Stakeholders

To have a water sector which is planned and managed through full participation of the stakeholders? In this vision, farmer’s institutions will be strengthened and farmers capacity for improved farming practices will be enhanced. The Planning Commission would act simply as a knowledge harnessing institution and there will be full participation of civil society in bringing in institutional reforms in the sector. Strong and will trained water user association and their federations will be empowered to take decisions which affect them.

Equity

Equity consideration will be incorporated in the allocation and distribution of water at all levels. These equity considerations will include the allocation of water between the provinces, between head and tail users, between different seasons and for different crops, etc.

Information Availability

Decision-making in the water sector will be based on accurate and timely information which is properly communicated and shared with all stakeholders. Real time data will be available on water flows at each diversion point along the Indus River System and this information will be shared with all users. Advance information on floods and other disasters like water-logging and salinity will be available and an early warning system will be in place to minimize the effect of natural disasters.

Conflict Resolution

There will be institutions and mechanisms in place with the capacity to effectively mediate and resolve water conflicts at the local, regional, national and international level.