The Government of Japan, in collaboration with Al-Khidmat Foundation (AKF), successfully completed its clean-water project in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town of the metropolitan.
Japanese Consul-General Akira Ouchi and AKF’s President Niamatullah Khan inaugurated the project on Wednesday.
The Government of Japan provided AKF with $90,952 (approximately Rs 7.7 million) for the project that included installation of seven water filtration plants in the city in July 2010 under Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) scheme.
The Japanese grant enabled the establishment of water filtration plants in seven selected areas of the metropolitan that were lacking clean drinking water facility. Six plants have already been launched officially and on Wednesday both the parties concerned attended the ceremony to inaugurate the last plant at Sachal Safora in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town which would benefit more than 20,000 residents who previously had no access to safe drinking water.
At the ceremony, Consul-General Ouchi wished all the beneficiaries to enjoy clean water provided by the filtration plant at a reasonable price and emphasised the significance of supporting grassroots activities similar to the project mentioned above.
The Japanese government strongly believed that this support from the people of Japan in the area of basic human needs would improve the quality of life among the less privileged communities, and in doing so both Japan and Pakistan could further strengthen their relationship.
Japan’s GGP scheme was established to assist NGOs and local public authorities in developing countries in responding to various development needs for a comparatively small- scale project in a prompt manner. It is important to mention here that the Consulate-General of Japan had financed eight GGP projects since 2009.
