The Korea International Cooperation Agency has approved a PCRWR-led initiative to establish an automated groundwater monitoring network across Islamabad and Sindh, marking a major step toward improved water information systems in Pakistan. The Project for Improving PCRWR Research Infrastructure and Enhancing Integrated Water Resources Management Capacity was cleared under the Pakistan–Korea Partnership Program following three detailed feasibility assessments.
Planned for 2026 to 2032 with an estimated budget of up to USD 15 million, the project will modernize PCRWR’s research infrastructure and deploy automated groundwater sensors to enable real-time tracking of groundwater levels and quality. The automated groundwater system is designed to provide timely data that water managers and policymakers can use to make evidence-based decisions on sustainable extraction, contamination risks, and resource planning.
Alongside infrastructure investments, the programme includes capacity-building and research components to strengthen local expertise. PCRWR staff will receive advanced training in groundwater and water quality modelling, and KOICA has approved four postgraduate scholarships—two PhD and two master’s—at leading Korean universities to develop long-term technical capacity for groundwater science and management.
A KOICA expert delegation visited Pakistan from November 3 to 14, 2025, conducting meetings and field visits in Karachi and Islamabad and consulting with stakeholders including KW&SC, PHED Sindh, SEPA, CDA, and WASA Rawalpindi to refine technical plans and select field sites. During a meeting on November 10, 2025, Dr Hifza Rasheed, Director General of PCRWR, briefed the Chairman of the Capital Development Authority on project objectives and secured CDA’s full support for installing automated groundwater monitoring in the federal capital.
The initiative underscores PCRWR’s leading role in advancing water research and monitoring in Pakistan and reflects KOICA’s confidence in the council’s technical capacity and strategic vision for sustainable water governance. By combining real-time automated groundwater monitoring with targeted capacity development, the project aims to deliver actionable data and stronger institutional capability for long-term groundwater management in Islamabad and Sindh.
