Islamabad (Zahid Yaqoob Khawaja): On April 23, a handover ceremony for the Grant Aid project “The Project for the Improvement of Water Treatment Plant and Water Distribution System in Faisalabad” (grant amount: 4.094 billion yen) was held in Faisalabad. H.E. Mr. AKAMATSU Shuichi, the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Mr. Naoaki Miyata, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Pakistan Office, and Mr. Aamer Aziz, Managing Director of Water and Sanitation Agency, Faisalabad attended the ceremony.

Faisalabad is the third most populous city in Pakistan. With rapid population growth, water demand exceeds the existing capacity of the water supply, and citizens in Faisalabad are unable to enjoy adequate water services.

To address the issue, JICA provided technical cooperation from 2016 to 2019 and formulated the Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Master Plan with the target year of 2038. This Grant Aid project was selected as a priority project in the master plan.

This Grant Aid project upgraded and expanded the Old Jhal Khanuana water treatment plant and developed water transmission and distribution facilities, including the pipe network, tripling the water supply. This increase in water supply helps improve water services in Faisalabad, ultimately enhancing public health and the living environment for its citizens. It also supports the achievement of SDG Goal 6: “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.”

At the handover ceremony, Ambassador AKAMATSU stated, “I hope that all facilities installed under Japan’s project will be fully utilized in a sustainable manner and that the
expertise and experience gained will benefit the people in Faisalabad.” Chief Representative of JICA Pakistan Office Mr. Miyata remarked, “We hope that this project will provide safe water to more people and improve the living environment of the residents of Faisalabad.”

Through this Grant Aid project and on-going technical cooperation project “The Project for Improvement of Management Capacity of Water Supply Sector in Faisalabad”, the Government of Japan and JICA will continue to strive to supply safe water in Pakistan.