ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Water Resources has initiated the process of drafting a Dam Safety Act, modeled after similar laws enacted in Bangladesh and India. This update was shared with the Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources, chaired by Senator Shahadat Awan, following directives from the committee’s previous meeting.
In the last meeting, the committee instructed the Ministry to create a Dam Safety Act in line with regional practices observed in India and Bangladesh.
During discussions on the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) project, Minister for Water Resources, Musadik Malik, and Additional Secretary, Mehar Ali Shah, informed the committee that the project’s PC-1 has been prepared and sent to the Sindh Government for approval. However, feedback from the provincial government is still pending. Senators from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) were requested to expedite the process.
The Chairman of the Standing Committee granted the Ministry a three-month period to provide an updated status on the project.
The committee also addressed delays in the recruitment of staff for BPS 1-16 positions in the Federal Flood Commission (FFC). The Ministry reported that a request for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to fill vacant posts has been forwarded to the Establishment Division, and promotion cases for relevant officers are under consideration.
Minister Musadik Malik and other senators criticized the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) for delays in recruitment, noting some positions have remained vacant for 16 years. There was a call to review FPSC laws to improve its efficiency.
Post the 18th amendment, ambiguity in the jurisdiction between federal and provincial governments was cited as a cause for delays.
The FFC reported that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been asked to legislate on rivers in Islamabad as per the Model River Act. The CDA Ordinance 1960 is currently under review to determine existing regulations for rivers and nullahs within the capital.
In Punjab, 31 field formations of the Punjab Irrigation Department submitted ‘No Encroachment Certificates.’ However, 153 encroachments were reported on Masson Flood Bund in Sargodha, and verification by Suparco is underway.
Sindh Irrigation Department reported 175 encroachments, with ‘No Encroachment Certificates’ received from 11 field formations.
The committee also unanimously approved the nomination of Senator Saadia Abbasi to the Board of Governors of the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources.
An in-camera session was held to deliberate on recent developments regarding the Indus Water Treaty of 1960.
The meeting was attended by several senators and senior officials from the Water Resources Ministry.
Story by Mushtaq Ghumman
