GSK, in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature, has implemented a range of community-focused initiatives in Karachi, Lahore, and Keenjhar Lake as part of its five-year Freshwater Resilience Programme in Pakistan.
The initiative is designed to promote locally driven solutions that enhance freshwater sustainability, protect ecosystems and biodiversity, and contribute to the goals outlined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
As part of the programme, the partners have set up a solar-powered water filtration facility at a welfare dispensary in Sharafi Goth, Landhi Town, Karachi. They connected the system to a nearby government girls’ college and now supplies free, clean drinking water to nearly 1,500 people, including students and residents. This effort is expected to save the community around Rs 2.7 million annually.
In addition, they installed ablution water reuse systems at Baitul Mukarram Mosque and Masjid-e-Aqsa in Karachi, along with two similar units in Engineers Town, Lahore. Together, these systems can recycle up to 18,660 cubic metres of water each year.
They carried out infrastructure improvements at a government higher secondary school in Bin Qasim Town, Karachi, where they restored 15 toilet blocks and a drainage system, benefiting more than 1,100 students from underserved backgrounds.
The programme further supported the revival of two urban green spaces in Sharafi Goth through the planting of diverse native species suited to Karachi’s dry climate. Covering over 1,000 square metres, these areas help improve local environmental conditions and serve around 1,500 residents.
Lahore Groundwater Recharge:
In Lahore, they installed a groundwater recharge well in Engineers Town with an annual capacity of 5,500 cubic metres. Following recent rainfall, the system has already contributed hundreds of cubic metres of water back into the aquifer.
At Keenjhar Lake, they established a community-based biodiversity monitoring group. Local participants regularly track wildlife and habitat conditions, identify environmental risks, and document ecological changes.
The project also included awareness and training sessions at institutions such as NED University of Engineering and Technology and local colleges, along with community engagement activities at Keenjhar Lake involving university students.
Erum Shakir Rahim, General Manager and Vice President of GSK Pakistan, said the collaboration with WWF represents a significant step toward scaling practical, community-led water solutions and achieving long-term resilience by 2030. Sohail Ali Naqvi, Director of the Freshwater Programme at WWF-Pakistan, emphasised the importance of inclusive partnerships in ensuring sustainable water management.
The partners launched Freshwater Resilience Programme last year as part of GSK’s broader goal to achieve water neutrality by 2030 across its operations and key supply chains in water-stressed regions. They have carried out the initiative in coordination with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination and the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources.
