“Every year 250,000 children under five years of age die in Pakistan due to water-borne diseases,” said photographer Ali Zeeshan Iqbal.
He was talking at a photography exhibition held to mark the International Water Day titled Clean Water-Save Life arranged by the Al-Khidmat Foundation at Alhamra Arts Gallery on The Mall.
As many as 52 photographs were exhibited. Each photograph highlighted some water-related issue in Pakistan.
Iqbal, said, “We have tried to tell a story through these pictures. Many people forget that 50 per cent of Pakistan’s population lacks access to safe drinking water.”
Al-Khidmat Foundation Vice President Syed Ihsanullah Waqas said, “Water is critical for nourishing and fostering life.
Access to safe drinking water reduces chances of diarrhoea, malaria, trachoma and hepatitis A and B.”
He said unfortunately the urban slum dwellers and rural villagers did not have the resources to acquire clean water.
He said provision and community ownership of clean water sources had socio-economic benefits in terms of prevention of illnesses and decreased healthcare expenses.
He said the photography exhibition was an attempt to raise awareness about the water problem in the country.
Waqas said water reservoirs should be covered properly and surfaces of water pumps should be secured so that water does not contaminate the ground water.
He said walls for well should be constructed high, adding that clothes should not be washed close to wells.
He said water for households and factories should not be mixed with streams or river water.
He said human and animal waste must not be left close to safe water sources and animals should not be allowed to swim in reservoirs.
He said, “We are installing hand-pumps by boring in arid lands, drilling water wells in remote water-scarce areas and installing filtration plants in cities. We have 416 filtration plants, 976 water wells and 2,784 hand pumps with 90 million beneficiaries annually.”
Opposition leader Mehmoodur Rasheed was also present at the exhibition. It will end on March 24.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 23rd, 2014.