Trans-boundary Energy and Water Security nexus in South Asia: (in) Action of Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistan will face absolute water scarcity by 2025 according to UNDP and Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR). This water scarcity is owing to multiple factors such as Population explosion, poor farming, water management crisis, rapid and unchecked urbanization etc. Pakistan’s economy is dependent on agriculture and water insecurity is directly linked to food insecurity. Unfortunately, despite such an alarming situation the state of Pakistan has not come up with any concrete measures. On the other hand, the last decade has witnessed rapid energy cooperation between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal sub region of South Asia. These states have been bilaterally engaging in trans-boundary cooperation and conflict resolution. Recently, electric grid interconnections and hydroelectric cooperation is shifting from bilateral to multilateral arrangements. This shows immense potential for trans-boundary water governance. Four areas are of particular importance and will be examined in this study. Firstly, technical cooperation to manage and regulate water, secondly, Indian hydro-hegemony prospect, thirdly, interstate energy inter-dependencies and lastly, regional co-operation and economic prospects. In this scenario Pakistan is isolated due the (in) action of state to resolve its traditional security challenges. The study will investigate employing content analysis whether Pakistan can continue to ignore non-traditional security challenges and its future implications.