AT a time, when Pakistan’s conventional security stakes are significantly high, with active conflict being fought on the western border and a highly intensified eastern border; it is grappling with a challenge that its leadership and institutions fail to realize. Water Security has become one of the core non-conventional security challenges in the recent times, as recurrent flooding has wrecked the backbone of country’s infrastructure, crops and most importantly threatened the human survival. Bad governance, mismanagement and politicization of resources have hindered the construction of dams; while intensified relationship with India has led to the abeyance of Indus Water treaty, which has significantly impacted the survival of millions of Pakistanis.

Indus Water Treaty was signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan, with the facilitation of the World Bank; wherein, it was agreed that roughly 80% of the water from this river system would belong to Pakistan; while 20% of the water will be used by India. Six decades of cooperation has come to the halt due to aggravated geopolitics and unfortunately, Pakistan being a lower riparian state, is on the losing end. Pakistan’s irrigation system, hydropower generation and food production are intricately associated with the rivers governed by this treaty; and........

© Pakistan Observer