KARACHI: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar said that water reservoirs were very essential for the coming generations and the country’s sovereignty could be in danger without water. Justice Saqib Nisar while addressing inauguration ceremony of Sewerage Treatment Plant (TP-III) Mauripur , on Sunday, stressed on the need to build more water reservoirs . He said that he was honoured to be associated with the project. “Water is extremely important and we have to conserve it and the only way to conserve water is to reserve it and use it carefully,” asserted the CJP during his inaugural address. The newly inaugurated Sewerage Water Treatment Plant (TP-III) is located in Maripur, Karachi. It has a treatment capacity of 77 million gallons of sewage water per day (MGD). While appreciating the effort that went into setting up TP-III, Justice Saqib Nisar said that it was unprecedented that TP-III project had been completed in such a short span of time. During his address, the CJP said that there was a dire need to ensure that our future generations also got their share of water. “There is no life without water and did we even take care to save our natural resources,” asked the CJP. “We are polluting our seawater which is peril to everyone,” he said. He said that everyone in the country was saying that Pakistan would cease to exist without water. “We need to build more reservoirs to save water,” said the CJP. The CJP also stressed on the need to conserve water. “Whether or not we value our resources, life cannot be imagined without water and we need to value it for a better Pakistan,” he stated. Justice Saqib Nisar said that the people of Gilgit were happy about Diamer Bhasha dam. He said that he had visited glaciers at Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan was blessed with water. “What we have done with the precious gift?” questioned the CJP. The CJP also appreciated the efforts Water Commission (WC) and the Sindh Government in his address. While commending the chief of WC, Justice Saqib Nisar said that the whole nation and the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) were proud of Justice (R) Amir Hani Muslim for the services he had rendered. Talking about the cleanliness of Karachi, Justice Saqib Nisar said that he was happy to see Karachi clean. “I and my colleagues have witnessed the noticeable change in the metropolis,” added the CJP. “The Supreme Court is torchbearer of protecting fundamental rights of all citizens,” said Justice Saqib Nisar. He added that he was determined to resolve human rights issues. “I am on the same page with the rest of my colleagues. “We are determined to ensure that all people of Pakistan get their fundamental rights,” said the CJP. Justice Nisar said that positive steps were being taken for the betterment of Karachi, Sindh and Pakistan. “We have no ulterior motives. I have no personal agenda. We have to work for the welfare of our future generations,” asserted CJP on the occasion Sindh Chief Secretary Major (retd) Azam Suleman Khan also addressed the gathering on the occasion. He said that Greater Karachi Sewerage Project (S-III) was aimed towards improving environmental and sanitation conditions of Karachi through a well integrated system. He informed the gathering that PC 1 of the project was approved by Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at a cost of Rs 7,982 on September 2007 on cost sharing of 50/50 by Government of Pakistan and Government of Sindh. “Later, on February 7, 2018 a revised PC-1 for an overall cost of Rs. 36117.46 million (mn) was approved by ECNEC ” added the Chief Secretary. Major (R) Azam Suleman Khan further informed the CJP that the total capacity of plant (TP-III) had been upgraded from 54 MGD to 77 MGD. He said that after completion of phase 2, the capacity of TP-III will be 180 MGD. He added that work on phase 2 will be completed in December 2019. He informed Justice Nisar that Sindh Government, on recommendations of the WC, had rehabilitated the project in a very short period of time. WC Coordinator Asif Haider Shah and Noor Ahmed Samoo also briefed the CJP about TP-III on the occasion. Chief Justice Sindh High Court, various judges of SCP and Sindh High Court (SHC), Chief of Water Commission Amir Hani Muslim, Attorney General of Pakistan, federal and provincial secretaries, IG Sindh, also attended the inaugural ceremony. Later, the Chief Justice of Pakistan and Sindh Chief Secretary along with judges of SCP, SHC visited various sites of the TP-III plant. CJP also planted a Neem tree on the site. Published in Daily Times, July 23rd 2018.