Quetta, July 12: The Advisory Group (AG) of the Balochistan Programme Office (BPO) of IUCNP meets on quarterly basis to monitor the progress made in implementation of the Balochistan Conservation Strategy.

This group provides valuable strategic guidance to the programme and comprises of Govt agencies, academicians and parliamentarians as well as media persons. Abdul Latif Rao, Country Representative of IUCN Pakistan, Members of the AG and IUCNP staff and attended this meeting.

The members unanimously elected Dr. Shahida Jaffery, Vice Chancellor of Sardar

Bahadur Khan Women University to chair this meeting. Previous minutes of the meeting were approved after a brief discussion. Saleem Chishti, Head IUCNP BPO, informed the audience about the implementation status of decisions of the previous meeting. He presented six monthly progress reports of the BPO (Jan-June 2005).

The participants shared their concern regarding the Quetta Greater Water Supply Project and declared that it was not a sustainable solution to drill water from rock aquifers around the Quetta valley, as this source of water would deplete in coming years leaving the large pollution of Quetta with no other option but to migrate.

During the meeting, the govt. members of the AG requested IUCN to study the status of MDGs in Balochistan. Responding to this, the Country Representative of IUCNP stated that IUCNP can facilitate in carrying out such study in case of MDG number 7, which relates to environment.

In her concluding remarks, Dr. Shahida Jaffery appreciated IUCNP Balochistan Programme in its support to raise awareness among the various segments of society regarding conservation and sustainable development. Next meeting of AG would be held on September 29, 2005 at Quetta.