Understanding Pakistan's water-security nexus

By 2030, experts expect Pakistan, a semiarid nation whose economy is still based primarily on agriculture, to decline from being water stressed to water scarce. The competition over water and the effects of environmental hazards in the country provoke political instability when other problems and grievances already exist. In essence, water insecurity can make a bad situation worse. Doing nothing is not an option, yet Pakistan does not have the capacity to find new sources of water or to inject more water into its national grid. Delaying efforts to address the situation will only intensify disputes between water stakeholders. Civil unrest, economic vulnerabilities, and political fragility already plague the country. water stress should not be the tipping point but instead a means to promote social harmony, environmental sustainability, and national unity. This report provides a preliminary analysis of water management within this critical national context.… (more)