ISLAMABAD: In Pakistan only 39pc of the population has access to safe water, said Director of Global Programmes at Human Concern International (HCI) Iftikhar Sheikh Ahmed.

`Access to clean water is a fundamental human right.

However unfortunately in Pakistan a large number of people are deprived of the basic facility which is resulting in the spread of a number of waterborne diseases including hepatitis,` he said in a statement.

He claimed that projections suggest that without accelerated efforts, the number of 39pc could reach 50pc by 2030. He said there was a critical gap that demanded urgent action.

`Alongside this, sanitation services also remain inadequate, with 68pc of the population having access to basic sanitation, leaving millions vulnerable to waterborne diseases and related health issues,` Mr Ahmed said.

He claimed that the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programme by HCI had impacted over 25,600 children and 640 teachers across Pakistan showcasing the far-reaching effects of the community uplift initiatives.

He said that installing Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants in water-scarce regions of the country, where the availability of clean drinking water was once a distant hope, was the best possible solution.

`RO plants have improved the lives of thousands, significantly reducing waterborne diseases,` he said.