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Articles |
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Will water be the blue gold?
BY : ALI KHIZAR ASLAM
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ARTICLE (February 16 2010): Water is politics, water's religion. Water is
far from being pure economical. Scarcity of the most needed natural resource
in the face of rapidly growing population warrants more attention. In the
aftermath of global warming, changes in water dynamics are imminent. Global
environmental experts agree that climate change will alter weather patterns
and shrink the glaciers.
And so, the quantity of water in the Indus river system is expected to
become more erratic - potentially leading to a higher frequency of severe
floods and droughts. Rising population on both sides of the Indo-Pak border,
which largely depends on agrarian economies, will keep increasing demand
pressures on water, thereby sparking disputes over regional water resources.
Even the crux of Kashmir issue essentially lies in deep water as all the six
rivers of Indus basin flow from Kashmir. But unfortunately, being
preoccupied in the war against terror, Pakistan, on the face of it, has been
out of focus from its core long-term issue of safeguarding water resources
from our eastern neighbour India.
Lately, apparent violation of Indus Water Treaty - stealing of water from
the three rivers - on the part of India compelled Pakistan to fight for its
rights. But with the international pundits and dispute settlement agencies
seemingly favouring the bigger economy - India - Pakistan is likely to be
left with little options than to fight for its right by hook or crook.
Such water related issues, including Sallal Dam and Wullar barrage, have
kept propping up over the period of years; every time at the instigation of
the Indian side. If they weren't enough, the construction of Baglihar Dam
and other hydroelectric projects by India are also a cause of concern, which
can potentially divert Pakistan's water to India.
In times of low rainfall, as the current season, dams like this result in
under-supply of water to Pakistan, thereby triggering a reason for a heated
conflict. Yet, reportedly India is building as many as sixty projects along
the rivers that violates Indus Water Treaty. Moreover, few of these
projects, envisaged or currently under execution stage, can be an ecological
disaster for the area. Industry voices suggest that these dams are likely to
be built by cutting thousands of acres of forests in Occupied Kashmir, which
could affect the rainfall in Pakistan.
Adding to the agony, it instigates the ethnic tussle between our provinces.
Instead of being united on one platform for the sake of Pakistan's water
rights, provinces have tended to focus more on their personal interests than
on the larger interest of the country. This is evident from the fact that
none of the democratic or authoritarian regimes have been able to break
these lobbies to build even one large dam, much needed in the past many
years.
Surprisingly, the water row between provinces exacerbated in authoritarian
times of Zia and Musharraf, whereas the violation of water accords was
observed during the democratically elected government of Pakistan Peoples
Party. Hence, the proponents of the thesis that Punjab abuses its dominance
at the time of water shortage do not have strong footings.
The 1991 Water Accord signed under the PML government establishes clear
entitlements for each province to surface water. With this system, Pakistan
can now focus on applying similar methodology for surface systems that do
not have established entitlements - for new mobilised water, for
environmental flows, for groundwater while administering the system in a
more transparent and participatory manner.
But that's an inter-provincial matter. How they deal with it among them
isn't in question here, instead how they plan to deal with the overall water
shortage, together, is the main question. The key is to keep aside their
vested interests and wholeheartedly work on the solution of water shortage
in the backdrop of global warming and the Indian violation.
There is clearly no denying that water is the next gold - the blue gold. By
now we all know how water and food scarcity has become a global issue, which
is why China, India and oil-rich countries are eyeing to acquire farming
lands in African and Asian countries.
While these may be simple economic transactions on the face it, these are
termed, nonetheless, termed as land grabbing by many. Lately, after the
surfacing of evidence of corruption in land acquisition of African
countries, global agencies are now demanding new rules to ensure the consent
of local community before the selling of lands to foreigners.
Similar issues have propped up in Pakistan, especially after Saudi Arabia
reportedly started negotiating with Pakistani authorities to lease
agricultural land of approximately 500,000 acres in order to hedge food
security in the future. Given water shortage, it is probable that if lands
are leased to foreigners, they will be provided with water on a priority
basis, as part of the conditions, deserting local farmers and the poor
population.
These are indeed alarming developments and can potentially add woes to water
problems for natives. Add to it the twist of Indian factor as discussed
earlier, and there are more reasons why one should not take India's recent
statement that "there is no possibility of war between Indian and Pakistan
on water" on the face value. When the world goes to war on some time in the
not-so distant future, Pakistan should better be prepared for it.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2010 |
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