Many leading universities of Pakistan are undertaking research in collaboration with foreign

universities to resolve the issue of safe and clean drinking water, causing thousands of deaths
each year.
According to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistani universities are collaborating
with leading American and British universities to undertake joint research projects throughout
the country to ensure the access of clean drinking water.
More than 40 percent of the reported diseases in Pakistan are water-borne as a majority of the
population does not have access to clean drinking water. Majority of the population drinks from
open water sources including canals, rivers and wells which are highly contaminated.
A study conducted by the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) found that 20 to 40 percent
of the hospital beds in the country are occupied by patients suffering from water-related diseases
such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery and hepatitis, causing one-third of all deaths. While an
estimated 250,000 child deaths occur each year due to water-borne disease.
University of Balochistan, Western Michigan University and University of Houston have
initiated a research project, Assessment and Development of Renewable Groundwater
Resources in the Quetta Valley, Pakistan under Pak-US Science and Technology Cooperation
Programme.
The project which aims at developing water resources for the citizens of Balochistan through
finding and developing extra ground water resources, forming a database of ground water and
finding areas with harmful chemicals has achieved fruitful results. The projects include
Removal of Arsenic from Drinking Water Using Iron Ores as Low Cost Reactive Absorbent
Media by the joint efforts of University of Engineering and Technology (UET) and the
University of Arizona and Capacity Building for Research, Education and Training in Water
Resources Management in Pakistan by UET and the University of South California.
Other projects are Small Scale Sewage Treatment and Waste Water Reuse System for Pakistan
by Quaid e Azam University and George Washington University and Water, Sanitation, Health
and Hygiene Interventions in a Northern Pakistani Village between Karakoram International
University and the National Institute of Health USA.
Besides, a number of projects have been undertaken with the British universities under the
International Strategic Partnerships in Research and Education (INSPIRE). Lead researchers
from both countries have shared expertise through bilateral research exchanges in various
projects including Development of Water Scarcity Management Strategies in the Upper Indus
Basin by UET and Newcastle University and Use of Geosynthetic Materials to Provide Clean
Well Water by Textile Institute of Pakistan and the University of Bolton. The innovative
filtration plant, under this partnership, has been developed that could potentially be the answer to
the global water related issues. The research has a full capacity to be marketed at an international
forum, benefit the masses through use of IXT (ion exchange textiles) and giving cost-effective
solutions since the materials are regenerative in nature.
The HEC has financed a number of projects to encourage indigenous research in universities on
clean drinking water under National Research Program for Universities (NRPU).
Commenting on these programmes, HEC Chairperson Dr Javaid Laghari said, The objective is
to develop local expertise and indigenous technology through strong collaboration with research
groups in leading foreign universities. These projects help encourage and foster foreign
relationships based on the exchange of knowledge and technology.
He remarked that through various workshops, conferences, seminars, lectures and vital exchange
of information between local and foreign researchers would help resolve issues pertaining to
unsafe and unclean drinking water in the country. The benefits of higher education and research
are becoming quite evident and higher education sector has started to play a vital role towards
the socio-economic development of the country, he added.
The chairperson assured that HEC would extend full support and continue to work with the
government and involve local expertise to resolve various problems of the country.
1. SALT LAKE CITY The leaders of the University of Utah and Mehran
University of Engineering and Technology traded memorandums of
agreement Tuesday in the new campus law building, formalizing an
academic partnership for water research.

Although the signing of a memorandum of agreement does not bind either

party by law to uphold agreements made regarding the project, the
documents are treated with the highest respect by both institutions.

"Utah and Pakistan surely share common ground in this sector. We both
cope with water scarcity and the need for better ground management,"
University of Utah President David Pershing said.

The partnership will serve as a model of cooperation, address critical

water issues and train the next generation's water professionals,
Pershing said.

The educational partnership is part of a program known as United States-

Pakistan Centers for Advanced Studies in Water and is funded by the
United States Agency for International Development.

Academic programs resulting from the project will include master's and
doctorate degrees in three water disciplines at Mehran University,
which provides many opportunities for research and will be the primary
center for the project because it's located in the water-stressed Sindh
province of Pakistan.

According to M. Aslam Uqaili, vice chancellor of Mehran University, the higher

education institution received nearly 500 applicants for 50 positions in
the upcoming academic water programs.

Meanwhile, U. faculty, staff and students will have several research

opportunities as they collaborate with Pakistani academics and five
other partner institutions, including Colorado State University.

"It aligns very well with strategic priorities of our institution," said Ruth
Watkins, head of academic affairs at the U.

Watkins said the partnership will help bring in expert faculty to the
University of Utah, assist in achieving the school's environmental goals,
and increase the presence of women in technology and science.

Participating parties are also hoping the pending research will address four
overarching water problems in Pakistan: surface and groundwater
availability, hazard and risk management, environmental quality, and
climate change.

"The situation in Pakistan, as far as water scarcity is concerned both for

human consumption as well as for agriculture, is something that really
does need to be tackled," said Hamid Asghar Khan, consul general of Pakistan
in Los Angeles.

In some areas of Pakistan, young children die from the lack of proper drinking
water, Khan said.

Finding water solutions Pakistan is just the beginning. United States

Agency for International Development officials are hoping new
technology will be applicable to other water-stressed regions
throughout the world.

Utah and Pakistan educational institutions team up to solve water

issues | Deseret News

Good stuff

Sindh please dont present your corruption in ANY FORMS!

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WWF-Pakistan urges school students
to conserve water
WWF-Pakistan conducted an awareness raising activity in Nicon Grammar School,
Basti Saidan Shah, Lahore as part of the project Increasing the Supply and Access to
Safe Drinking Water in Lahore, Pakistan. The project, in partnership with Coca Cola
Beverages Pakistan Limited (CCBPL), aims to improve access to safe drinking water in
low lying areas of Lahore by installing 15 water filtration plants.

Sohail Ali Naqvi, Senior Project Officer, Water Stewardship Project, WWF-Pakistan
and Saba Dar, Project Officer, Water Stewardship Project, WWF-Pakistan briefed
students about the importance of conserving water and the need to use it
sustainably. Imran Dogar and Zara Iqbal, (CCBPL) also attended the event. In the
session, Naqvi said, Since water is a sensitive issue, we should make serious efforts
to save it for the next generations.

The awareness drive at Nicon Grammar School aimed to sensitize students to use
water responsibly and highlighted conservation issues. Students of grade 1 to 10
took part in activities including colouring, essay writing and critical thinking. The
WWF-Pakistan team also engaged students in interactive a question and answer
session. The participating students expressed their commitment to play a responsible
role in conserving water and spreading the message among their friends and family
aswell. The students and faculty appreciated the efforts of WWF-Pakistan and Coca
Cola Beverages Pakistan Limited (CCBPL) for organizing the activity and sensitizing
them on water issues. Through the WWF-Pakistan and CCBPL partnership, the first
water filtration plant will be installed in Basti Saidan Shah, Upper Mall in the coming
weeks. Site selection for filtration plants is based on a number of parameters
including water quality and community commitment for maintenance of plant.
Surveys were also conducted at different sites to test water quality from the
laboratory of Pakistan Council of Research on Water Resources (PCRWR). On the
basis of the criteria the first site selected was Basti Saidan Shah where the filtration
plant is expected to benefit about 9,000 individuals daily. - See more at:
http://www.wwfpak.org/newsroom/100715_conservewater.php#sthash.eWhUjecp.
dpuf
Setting up 24 water testing labs at a cost of 1.2 billion PKR
to identify contamination in drinking water seems to be an
appreciable move by the government of Pakistan as water
contamination is found to be the leading cause of many
diseases across the country. However, the testing results
intimidated that more than 69 to 82 percent Pakistanis
consume contaminated and unsafe water.
The Minister of Science and Technology Rana Tanveer
told the Senate on Tuesday that the Pakistan Council for
Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) had conducted
various water quality monitoring projects in the country
and said 69 percent of 82 per cent water samples
collected from 2,807 villages in 24 districts were found
contaminated or unsafe for drinking.
According to a Dawn Report. the PCRWR, which is a
research and development organization of the Ministry of
Science and Technology, reported that major
contamination was due to bacteria (coliforms), toxic metals
(mainly arsenic), turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS) and
nitrate and fluoride pollution. While microbiological
contamination remains one of the leading causes of
cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis, typhoid etc.,
arsenic can cause various types of diabetes, skin, kidney,
heart, black foot diseases, hypertension, birth defects and
multiple types of cancer, according to the PCRWR.
Other crucial initiatives are needed to ensure drinkable
water supply. One of which is infrastructure through self-
sufficient and self-sustained projects. Its been more than
half century, we are witnessing World Bank and IMF
financed projects which eat up around 80 percent of the
funding (actually loan) in the name of consultancy and
feasibility reports; rest is consumers by the administrative
expenses and salaries of the staff. We all witness million
dollars of humanitarian funding adds to our loans with
practically no difference in infrastructure improvement and
Pakistanis lives.
Leaving these problems unresolved aggregate
government health budget. Importing expensive medicines
and medicalinfrastructure is a heavy burden on
foreign exchange. A consistent political will backed by
extensive research is required to resolve the problem.
What is the role of our universities with heavy academic
budgets if they can not propose sustainable solutions for
our everyday problems? These problems need Ph. D level
research studies and we have young graduates willing to
pursue research on crucial present and future problems. In
the western world institutes like PCRWR work closely with
universities researchers and professors tenure and his
department funding is based on the results of his research
outcomes.