Guest Blog: In Conversation with Shafqat Kakakhel Internal Water Management Practices
Interview with Shafqat Kakakhel (former Deputy Executive Director of UNEP and Co-Chair of Habitat II) by Aisha Khan originally published in Quarterly Blue Chip Magazine Islamabad Q: What are the major water-related challenges of Pakistan? A: Clearly the drastic decline in the per capita availability of fresh water in Pakistan, from 5300 cubic meters in 1951 to less than 1000CM at present, which places it in the category of water scarce countries must be regarded as our biggest water challenge. The drivers of this steep decline are explosive population growth and unregulated urbanization, economic development, which has led to an increase in the number of wasteful consumers of water, decaying water infrastructure, profligate use of water for irrigation, policy and governance deficits, including low water pricing and poor coordination among water-related institutions at both the federal and provincial levels. The inordinate delay in the finalization of a water policy, des...