Balochistan Drought Media Monitoring Report Wednesday, January 30, 2019 Please find below news article published in English dailies of Pakistan highlighting drought situation in Balochistan: Date Newspaper Description 30 Jan Sky Meter Rain, snow over Sindh, Karachi, Balochistan with hailstorm in offing Weather At present, a fresh Western Disturbance is over Jammu and Kashmir and its induced Cyclonic Circulation is over Central Pakistan and adjoining Rajasthan. A trough is also extending across Central Pakistan to South Sindh. https://www.skymetweather.com/content/global-news/rain-snow-over-sindh- karachi-balochistan-with-hailstorm-in-offing/#sthash.VVxNhApj.dpuf 30 Jan Times of Construction of small dams solution to Balochistan’s water crisis: Governor Islamabad QUETTA: Governor Balochistan Justice (R) Amanullah Khan Yasinzai said that in view of the increasing human necessities and emerging problem of water shortage in the province there is need to develop a comprehensive strategy for construction of small dams. https://timesofislamabad.com/30-Jan-2019/construction-of-small-dams- solution-to-balochistan-s-water-crisis-governor 30 Jan Daily Times Revisiting Water Policy Drought conditions in the two southern provinces are getting worse. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has already started work to set up a Disaster Emergency Relief Fund. In Sindh, the provincial government has declared Tharparkar, Umerkot, Dadu, Thatta, Sanghar, KambarShadadkot, Jamshoro and Badin as worst affected districts. Estimates suggest around 184,244 people have been affected by the latest drought spell. https://dailytimes.com.pk/349198/revisiting-water-policy/ 30 Jan UNPO News Sindh & Balochistan: Drought Conditions is Developing Into a Humanitarian Disaster A case has been sent to the regional office of the International Federation of Red Cross Society in Kuala Lumpur to set up an initial fund of Rs30 million. Appeal for international assistance would be considered at a later stage, PRCS operational coordinator Mohammad Abaidullah Khan told Dawn on Monday. The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has completed its rapid assessment early this month [January 2018] in six most vulnerable districts in Sindh and Balochistan. The three districts in Sindh were Tharparkar, Umerkot and Badin, while those in Balochistan included Noshki, Kharan and Pishin. MUSLIM AID PAKISTAN | DROUGHT SITUATION IN BALOCHISTAN – PAKISTAN WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2019 DAILY MEDIA MONITORING REPORT Page 1 of 3 Balochistan Drought https://unpo.org/article/21352 30 Jan Dawn News HEC to form centre for researching water resources ISLAMABAD: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) will be establishing a Centre for Water Resources in Balochistan to take up research, innovation and capacity building to help mitigate water shortage in the province. https://www.dawn.com/news/1460600 30 Jan News Pakistan Small dams to contain Balochistan water crisis QUETTA: Governor Balochistan today held that small dams could contain province’s water crisis. “Half of Balochistan is gripped by drought, if this crisis continues, the population might have to migrate in near future,” he warns. “The provincial capital, Quetta, is facing an alarming situation as the water level is decreasing by three-and-a-half feet every year”, the governor added. The governor said that construction of small dams appears to be the only solution to the growing threat of water shortage.” https://newspakistan.tv/small-dams-to-contain-balochistan-water-crisis/ 30 Jan Global Village Will Pakistan actually run dry by 2025? Space Every morning, the women and children of Balochistan are forced to walk for miles and miles, carrying clay pots, in the search of water in the barren landscape of Pakistan’s most water-scarce province-a daily errand that has become a ritual in multiple cities across the country. Last year in December, the farmers of Balochistan approached Islamabad to address their grievances and inability to grow their major cash crops, primarily wheat, due to the scarcity of water. Reports released by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) have shed light on the exploitations of climate change, which have wreaked havoc on the livelihoods of fruits and vegetable farmers across Balochistan. https://www.globalvillagespace.com/will-pakistan-actually-run-dry-by-2025/ 30 Jan Daily Times Revisiting water policy Drought conditions in the two southern provinces are getting worse. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has already started work to set up a Disaster Emergency Relief Fund. The numbers are worse in Balochistan. A needs assessment undertaken in Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Noshki, Chaghi, Kharan, Washuk, Panjgur, Kech, JhalMagsi, Awaran, Zhob, Jaffarabad, Barkhan, Quetta, Killah Saifullah, Kohlu, Naseerabad and Kachhi districts shows that at least 216,806 people are vulnerable. https://dailytimes.com.pk/349198/revisiting-water-policy/ MUSLIM AID PAKISTAN | DROUGHT SITUATION IN BALOCHISTAN – PAKISTAN WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2019 DAILY MEDIA MONITORING REPORT Page 2 of 3 Balochistan Drought 30 Jan Business Senators recommend suggestions to improve Finance Bill Recorder Senator Mir Kabir claimed that the allocations for Balochistan’s Public Sector Development Programme had been cut. The drought-like situation, water shortages and electricity outages had turned the province into a desert, he added. He said due to silting, the condition of Kacchi and Kirther canals had been deteriorated, while hours long gas load-shedding continued in Sui. About 90 percent of the province was without gas, he added. https://www.brecorder.com/2019/01/30/469765/senators-recommend- suggestions-to-improve-finance-bill/ Building a Culture of Resilience & Responsibility Relentless. Relationships. Resilience. MUSLIM AID PAKISTAN | DROUGHT SITUATION IN BALOCHISTAN – PAKISTAN WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2019 DAILY MEDIA MONITORING REPORT Page 3 of 3 .