ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers in Senate on Tuesday raised alarm on the shortage of drinking water in Sindh, saying the underground water across Sindh has turned salty with death of fresh water all around.
PPP’s Senator Sherry Rehman said that there is a severe shortage of water in Pakistan, especially in Karachi. The PPP senator questioned whether people of Sindh don’t have the right to demand water, emphasizing that all the water in Sindh has become salty and fresh water is not available.
Sherry Rehman further said Sindh and Balochistan are affected due to floods and statistics are not given correctly in the Senate. PML-N’s Senator Irfan Siddiqui said the provinces had an agreement on water-sharing formula.
About canals, Irfan Siddiqui said Punjab has constructed canals from its share of water, so more land can be made cultivable in the province. “We do not eyeing shares of others,” he added. Siddiqui said if there were objections on canal projects then these can be removed. “No such decision has yet been made which could not be reviewed,” he maintained.
Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar told the House that the government is focusing on promoting various sports in order to exploit the potential of the youth. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar informed the House, in a written reply, that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is developing a comprehensive consular policy through stakeholder consultations for Pakistanis imprisoned in foreign jails. He said while this policy is being formulated, Pakistan continues to protect its citizens abroad through established international frameworks.
Ishaq Dar said our consular officers visit Pakistani nationals, who are in prison or in detention and arrange legal representation for them. The Senate today passed the National Commission on the Status of Women Amendment Bill, 2025. It was moved by Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar.
Responding to a Calling Attention Notice, Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain said the rice exporters are being fully facilitated in the country. The Minister said he has held meetings with the rice exporters and addressed their problems on the spot.
Rana Tanveer Hussain said Pakistan’s rice export target remains higher than the previous year. Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar stated that a total of 23,456 Pakistani nationals are incarcerated in different countries around the world, with the highest numbers found in the Gulf region, especially in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In a written response to Dr Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur’s question, he stated that 12,156 Pakistanis are incarcerated in Saudi Arabia and 5,292 in the UAE. The Ministry is currently working on gathering and consolidating updated data from all its missions over the past 10 years, which will be shared with the Senators once it is compiled.
