Severe Water Crisis and Drought Risks in the Province: Review of ‘Water Resources Management Bill 2026’

QUETTA (Daily Qudrat Quetta) — A meeting of the Standing Committee on Irrigation Department of the Balochistan Provincial Assembly was held in the Committee Room of the Balochistan Provincial Assembly.

The meeting was attended by Mir Muhammad Sadiq Umrani, Prince Ahmed Omar Ahmedzai, Muhammad Asghar Rind, Noor Muhammad Damar, and Liaquat Ali Lahri. Due to the absence of the permanent Chairman of the Committee, with the mutual consent of the members, Prince Ahmed Omar Ahmedzai was nominated as the presiding officer of the meeting. It is noteworthy that Prince Ahmed Omar Ahmedzai was previously the Chairman of the Committee; however, under the rules, if any member is nominated as a Parliamentary Secretary or Minister, they can no longer remain the Chairman of the Committee.

Secretary of the Balochistan Provincial Assembly Tahir Shah Kakar, Secretary of the Irrigation Department Suhail-ur-Rahman Baloch, Additional Secretary Law Saeed Iqbal, Deputy Secretary Law Ahsan Barkat, and Wasim Ahmed also attended the meeting.

The meeting held detailed deliberations on the Balochistan Water Resources Management Bill 2026. The primary objective of the bill is to establish a legal framework for the effective, integrated, and sustainable management of water resources in the province.

Under the bill, emphasis has been placed on improving the capacity and performance of institutions related to land and water management through their reorganization, establishing an integrated system to deal with the present and future challenges of water resources, and advancing institutional reforms in accordance with the Balochistan Water Policy.

The proposed law also aims to promote the sustainable development, management, and use of Balochistan’s water resources, ensure equitable access to water resources in the interest of the people of the province, and give practical effect to the human right to water.

The bill also includes provisions to address the negative effects of climate change, particularly the risks of floods and droughts, protect waterways and catchment areas, and promote water conservation measures.

Under the proposed law, the concept of promoting Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is also included, through which the objective is to promote economic and social well-being by ensuring the integrated development and management of water, land, and related resources, while also keeping in view the sustainable protection of natural ecosystems and the environment.

The scope of the bill will encompass the overall water resources of Balochistan, including ponds, lakes, perennial and temporary rivers and streams, snowfields, glaciers, atmospheric water, underground water reservoirs, surface water flows, wetlands, mangroves, and coastal waters falling within the jurisdiction of Balochistan.

In addition, those portions of inter-provincial or transboundary rivers that lie within the boundaries of Balochistan and to which Balochistan has the right to obtain and use water will also be included in the scope of this law, provided that this action is consistent with Pakistan’s obligations under international law and agreements reached with the federation from time to time.

Committee members held a detailed discussion on the said bill, during which they presented their suggestions on various clauses of the bill. At the end of the meeting, the presiding officer thanked the committee members, Assembly officers, the Irrigation Department, and other participants.