KARACHI: Communities in Murree and Kotli Sattiyan have benefited from a year-long initiative aimed at improving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) awareness and promoting rooftop rainwater harvesting as a climate-resilient solution in water-stressed areas.
The project, titled Community Mobilisation and WASH Education under Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting in Murree District, was formally concluded at a ceremony held at the Karimabad campus of Aga Khan University. The initiative was implemented by the University’s Institute for Educational Development (IED) in collaboration with NED University of Engineering & Technology.
Despite receiving high annual rainfall, Murree and Kotli Sattiyan continue to face chronic water shortages due to steep terrain, rapid runoff, tourism pressure and limited infrastructure. To address these challenges, the Urban Unit of the Government of Punjab initiated a rooftop rainwater harvesting programme integrating safe storage and filtration systems across more than 1,100 households in Phase-I. The education and community mobilisation component was led by AKU-IED and NED University.
Through school-based learning, practical activities and community engagement, the project strengthened hygiene practices, water conservation awareness and environmental responsibility. A total of 4,726 students and 220 community members were directly engaged, demonstrating the effectiveness of an education-led approach in promoting sustainable water practices.
Speaking at the ceremony, Project Lead Dr Fozia Parveen said the initiative provided a valuable opportunity to work closely with government partners. She noted that during Phase-I, collaboration was carried out extensively with schools and partners including Suthra Punjab. In Phase-II, she added, a water quality laboratory will be established in Kotli Sattiyan with a focus on citizen science to generate evidence-based recommendations for policymakers.
The closing ceremony was attended by representatives of the Aga Khan Development Network and education stakeholders from Karachi, along with officials from AKU and NED University. Among those present were Dr Salim Virani, Vice Provost Research at AKU; Dr Farid Panjwani, Dean of IED; and Arif Hasan. Project leaders Dr Fozia Parveen of AKU and Dr Abdul Ghaffar of NED reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration in Phase-II, including the establishment of the Water Quality Laboratory in Kotli Sattiyan.
The organisers expressed appreciation to the Urban Unit, Government of Punjab, for supporting the initiative, terming the project a strong example of local partnership delivering sustainable and climate-responsive WASH solutions in Pakistan.
