Diplomatic efforts needed to address water beyond boundaries.

Islamabad -- Parliamentarians and experts underscored here on Thursday need to open

diplomatic channels to address water management issues concerning Pakistan, India and

Afghanistan.

A large number of parliamentarians, diplomats and water experts participated in the national

conference on water beyond borders organized by non-governmental organization Lead Pakistan

at a local hotel.

Addressing the conference, Leader of the House in the Senate Shibli Faraz said water was basic

human right. However, the population explosion, technological boom, and high demand for

water has created global water shortage endangering lives of millions.

He said that cooperative relations between water-sharing nations is also critical to ensure adequate access to water. Shibli said that Afghanistan's push to build dams to store and regulate the water is indeed an indirect blow to Pakistan. If this shared resource is not mutually regulated through political cooperation, it can lead to a drastic water shortage.

He said that India, despite a treaty, threaten Pakistan by blocking its share of water flowing from its borders. He maintained that it is of course a violation of international law to do so, but in case

of any conflict, it is one aspect that we must be aware of and prepare for.

He said that being an agricultural nation with the worlds most interconnected irrigation system, water availability means everything to Pakistan that is the main reason why the government has started the Diamir-Bhasha dam project which will neutralise external water threats by ensuring adequate water storage within Pakistan.

Chairman Federal Flood Commission Ahmed Kamal, Wendy Gilmour Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Anne Marchal, Minister, Deputy Head of Mission...