ISLAMABAD – The federal government pledged to strengthen Pakistan’s water security through measurable reforms, improved infrastructure, agricultural efficiency and greater institutional accountability, as the sixth Pakistan Water Week 2026 concluded in Islamabad on Friday.
Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo announced that the government would evaluate progress over the next 12 months, focusing on the reliability of water services, improvements in agricultural productivity and stronger protection for communities facing water-related challenges.
Addressing closing ceremony of 5-day conference, Wattoo stressed that Pakistan could no longer afford to leave water security discussions confined to policy documents and conferences. Instead, he called for practical programmes supported by clearly defined performance indicators and implementation responsibilities.
The government’s approach will focus on turning water policy recommendations into measurable improvements that directly benefit farmers, households and vulnerable communities.
Wattoo urged policymakers and implementing agencies to establish clear responsibilities for delivering water sector reforms, ensuring that public investments produce tangible results. He stressed that water infrastructure should be judged by its performance and reliability rather than simply by the number of projects completed.
The minister also called for stronger coordination between surface water and groundwater management, improved protection of water quality and closer links between water investments and agricultural productivity. Reaffirming the government’s position, he said Pakistan remained committed to pursuing water security through lawful, peaceful and evidence-based approaches.
The sixth edition of Pakistan Water Week brought together approximately 350 participants attending physically and more than 800 joining virtually. The conference featured 26 sessions over five days, bringing policymakers, researchers, development specialists and representatives of various institutions together to discuss Pakistan’s growing water management challenges.
The event was organised by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the CGIAR Policy Innovations Science Program in collaboration with Pakistani government institutions and development partners. Discussions centred on strengthening national water security, protecting agricultural livelihoods and developing climate-resilient food systems capable of responding to changing environmental conditions.
Presenting the findings of the conference’s policy discussions, IWMI representative Johan Gély identified weak implementation mechanisms as a major obstacle to Pakistan’s water security ambitions. He observed that Pakistan already possessed important water-related policies, but institutional weaknesses continued to prevent their effective execution.
The country needs stronger systems to hold government agencies accountable, incorporate scientific research into decision-making and ensure coordination between institutions responsible for water management. He recommended developing a comprehensive legal framework for groundwater regulation, updating national water resource assessments and revising infrastructure design standards.
He also advocated expanding nature-based solutions to water challenges while encouraging greater participation by young people in water governance. Among his proposals was the creation of a dedicated award recognising young innovators developing practical solutions for water management.
Claudia Ringler of the International Food Policy Research Institute highlighted the importance of ensuring that water management reforms address the needs of people most directly affected by changing water availability. She called for greater involvement of women, smallholder farmers and marginalised communities in designing irrigation technologies, agricultural programmes and water-related interventions.
Ringler also stressed the need for national data-sharing regulations that would allow institutions to exchange information more effectively. She recommended investment in digital infrastructure and technical expertise to support the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence and other modern technologies in water and agricultural management.
Conference participants agreed that improving Pakistan’s water security would require closer cooperation between federal and provincial departments overseeing water resources, agriculture, energy and disaster management.
Experts recommended establishing a monitoring framework built around four major indicators including reliability and performance of water services, improvements in agricultural productivitym, changes in groundwater levels and availability, and resilience of communities exposed to water-related risks.
Participants also called for stronger regional cooperation to address emerging water risks associated with changing snow and ice conditions in the upper Indus Basin.
IWMI Strategic Programme Director for Water, Food and Ecosystems Mohsin Hafeez announced that the institute would monitor progress on the conference’s recommendations throughout the coming year. The findings will be presented at Pakistan Water Week 2027, providing an opportunity to assess whether the proposed reforms have translated into meaningful improvements.
