The concept of this Manual is to develop and improve upon the drainage practices established in Pakistan, and not to replace them. With the intention of preparing a manual that would be accepted and adopted as an official document, the participation of local authorities was sought. The authors met with drainage practitioners of all of the Provincial irrigation departments, and with other agencies concerned with drainage, including WAPDA, the On-Farm Water Management Program, and the Punjab Environmental Protection Agency. After the first draft was completed, it was sent to the irrigation departments and discussed in a two-day workshop held at Bhubau in April 1992 to reach a consensus. After completing the recommended revisions, a second meeting was held in Lahore in September 1992 for final review by representatives of the Irrigation Departments. Although this Manual is intended primarily for use by engineers of the Provincial Irrigation Departments, the scope of the manual extends beyond their normal responsibilities. It is important for irrigation engineers to understand the entire spectrum of agricultural drainage so that they can see as to how their role relates to the overall water management objectives and to other agencies. It is expected that the manual will also be used by On-Farm Water Management personnel of the Agricultural Departments, as well as by WAPDA and other organizations with drainage responsibilities.