KP seeks Rs64.62bn dues from Punjab over Murree water supply

• KP says Punjab extracting water from Galiyat without any deal.
• Around 500,000 gallons of water being extracted daily: KP govt.
• KP urges federal govt to facilitate agreement with Punjab govt.
  

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has demanded Rs64.62 billion in outstanding dues from Punjab over water supplied from Galiyat to Murree, citing unauthorised extraction and worsening shortages.

In letters to the federal government and Punjab, the provincial government said that Murree Water Board has been extracting water from Galiyat without any formal agreement or compensation.

The KP government said that around 500,000 gallons of water are being extracted daily from Galiyat and transported to Murree without authorisation, aggravating water scarcity in the region.

The letter also urged the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination to facilitate an agreement between the two provinces.

The KP government maintained that the dues, amounting to Rs64.62 billion, have accumulated since 1947.

It further called for the immediate halt to the construction of a 2-million-gallon water tank by the Murree Water Board in Dunga Gali without approval from the Galiyat Development Authority.

The letters demanded that all natural water sources in the area be recognised as KP’s property and handed over to the province.

It also proposed that until a final agreement is reached, half of the extracted water should be allocated to Galiyat, while compensation for the remaining supply should be paid at market rates within two years.

Speaking to Geo News, Adviser to KP Chief Minister on Finance Muzammil Aslam said Punjab owed nearly Rs65 billion to the province, adding that Galiyat's water has been supplied to Murree since the creation of Pakistan.

He warned that climate change and population growth have intensified water shortages in Galiyat, forcing authorities to extract groundwater for local use at significant electricity costs.

He added that the KP government, through the relevant federal ministry, has asked the Punjab authorities to arrange alternative water sources for Murree.