Islamabad: Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has urged provincial governments to prioritize wastewater management systems as rivers and underground water are being polluted at an alarming rate. He emphasized the critical need for action during a meeting of the Central Development Working Party held in Islamabad.

According to Radio Pakistan, the meeting recommended the revised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Human Capital Investment Project (Health Component) to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council at a cost of over 18 billion rupees. This project, which covers 13 districts including Peshawar, Nowshera, Swabi, and Haripur, aims to enhance the availability and quality of primary healthcare services.

The forum also approved a position paper for the project titled “Strengthening Common Management Unit for AIDS, TB and Malaria and Accelerating Response to Control the Three Diseases in Pakistan” at a cost of 2 billion rupees.