ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Prime Minister’s Advisor on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has said that we will present the idea of formulating a task force on Water and Sanitation in the Federal Cabinet meeting.
In a meeting held on Tuesday with a delegation of UNICEF to discuss water and sanitation situation in the Country, Amin Aslam said that this task force will be given a time frame to achieve targets. He said that the Punjab government started projects like SAAF PAANI which could not be implemented.
The advisor further said that Prime Minister Imran Khan highlighted issue of Child health in second Federal Cabinet meeting which shows the commitment of present government. He also committed to discuss in the Cabinet meeting about establishing an independent authority to check safe drinking water.
Amin Aslam further highlighted that for our government it’s easy to coordinate and implement strategies because three provincial government are aligning with the federal government.
The Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF Shahida Azfar head said that UNICEF will provide a working paper to task force to achieve targets. She also said that 92 percent of population in Pakistan has access to water but not safe drinking water due to issues of open deification which contaminates the water.
“We need to support provincial governments to reach sanitation targets,” she said.
The UNICEF South Asia Regional Director Jean Gogh presented a report on “Stunting and Malnutrition” in which child does not get proper nutrition in first two years of birth.
The Chief Water Sanitation and Hygiene Kitka Goyoi also said that the ministry need to create awareness among masses to stop open deification. In this regard UNICEF can provide support to develop a campaign. It is a collective responsibility of public and private sector to achieve clean drinking and sanitation Sustainable Development goals.
The prime minister’s advisor on climate Change assured them maximum support at the government level.
The meeting was also attended by the Director General Environment Irfan Tariq and the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Specialist UNICEF Pakistan Kamran Naeem.
