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,” she said in a statement. She claimed that projections suggest that without accelerated efforts, the number of 39pc could reach 50pc by 2030. She 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,” Ahmed said. She 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. She 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,” she said.