PRO No. 159/12
Dated 04/08/2012
Public Relations Office
The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mukhtar, Vice Chancellor, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur has said that the awareness and efforts of civil society are extremely commendable for the solution of socio-economic issues of Bahawalpur and Cholistan. The civil society of Bahawalpur has always remained in front for addressing the problems of Cholistan alongwith local administration. The Vice Chancellor was addressing the participants of a seminar organized on the water scarcity in Cholistan and Bahawalpur held jointly by Civil Society Network Bahawalpur and Strengthening Participating Organization (SPO) in Abbasia Campus. He said that non availability of water due to climatic and geographical conditions is troublesome in the far-flung dwellings of Cholistan desert in the contemporary age. In this regard NGOs and civil society must play their due role with collaboration of state departments and to achieve this objective IUB is always ready to extend maximum co-operation in its limited available resources. The IUB can also extend collaboration in improvement of quality and purifying of water. In this connection an exclusive research is being undertaken to resolve the issue of scarcity of water in the desert with co-operation of Al Sadiq Desert Welfare Organization. The standard of drinking water is gradually on decline in Bahawalpur and its outskirts and citizens are facing threat of harmful diseases. The IUB is ready to cooperate with public and private sector organizations in all aspects. Assistant commissioner Bahawalpur City, Capt. (R) Khalid Mehmood said that Punjab Government is initiating efforts to supply filtered water to Bahawalpur City and constant water supply to Cholistan through pipeline. The doors of district government are open to every citizen for making joint efforts to solve the grave issue of water scarcity. Head of SPO Naseer Memon said that the 1960 Indus Basin Water Treaty is the root cause of this burning issue as some incompetent rulers sold the three eastern rivers to the neighboring country. Hence, the dilapidated condition of water shortage is due to this treaty. On this occasion, an informative documentary film was also shown about non-availability of water in Cholistan, the current situation of water reservoirs (tobhas) and water supply through pipelines. Former Federal Parliamentary Secretary, Ali Hassan Gillani, Chairman, Civil Society Network, Shaikh Abbas Raza and representatives of social circles also participated in the seminar. |
