Islamabad: The Supreme Court (SC) has asked the provincial governments to devise draft laws for the conservation of water, a news source reported. Justice Umar Ata Bandial noted that it is not just a matter of one city, but the entire country.
Part of a three-judge bench, Bandial warned that provincial governments failing to follow these orders will face strict action. In a previous hearing, Attorney General Anwar Masood had told the court that he would ensure the preparation and implementation of a uniform law across the country in this regard. He had stated that that he will involve all provinces, secretaries, and other concerned officials in this process.
Law officers from the different provinces informed the SC that a few draft laws had already been devised. They added that these laws were currently under review. The court has now issued orders to devise the laws and present them by Friday, when it would take up the case again.
During the hearing, the federal government prepared a report before the bench for selecting provincial representatives. These individuals would be part of a committee aimed at monitoring and rationalising the utilisation of underground water.
Meanwhile, the SC-directed Professor Dr Muhammad Ahsan Siddiqui, who is an environmental scientist, was instructed to head the said committee on water and call a meeting once the representatives have been finalised.
