5 research outputs found
Lilienthal’s ‘Another “Korea” in the making?’ From the Cold War to the Indus Waters Treaty
No full textWar or Peace on the Rivers of South Asia?
Get PDFThe renowned water expert, John Briscoe, predicted a bleak future for India-Pakistan water relations across the Indus attributing it to Pakistan’s downstream anxieties vis-à-vis upstream regional hegemon-India. Do the other co-riparian states of India share the same bleak future across the South Asian rivers of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Meghna or are the water relations across these rivers peaceful as compared to the Indus? To answer this question, this study first explores India-Pakistan water disputes on the Indus and then analyses India-Bangladesh water disputes on the Ganges and Brahmaputra, India-Nepal, India-Bhutan, and Pakistan-Afghanistan water relations. The methodology adopted for this study is descriptive, historical, and analytical in its nature. The study concludes that India has not only failed to adopt a conciliatory approach towards Pakistan on the Indus but has generated mistrust amongst other neighbouring countries over water sharing due to its hegemonic hydro-behaviour. It recommends that India should adopt a conciliatory approach to have peaceful relations across the rivers of South Asia
Ethnic Diversity and Federation of Pakistan: A Societal Perspective
Get PDFThis paper aims to identify the factors responsible for reluctance of centre to decentralise power and imitation of the same trend in provinces while dealing with minority ethno-lingual identities. The paper explores questions: what is the nature of federalism in Pakistan? How federal question is dealt in the three constitutions of the republic? How differently ethnic groups responded to various federal arrangements orchestrated by the managers of the state over the years? Objectives of the study are to develop an understanding into the challenges posed to federalism in Pakistan and to develop a more inclusive approach for addressing the federal question. The discussion generated in this study is based upon qualitative analysis of existing published literature in the form of books, research articles, reports, and official documents. The narrative upon which the federation of Pakistan has been constructed is self-contradictory. The paper not only exposes the contradictions of this narrative but also includes societal perspective on the ethnic diversity and federation of Pakistan. It has been concluded that the crisis generated by over-centralisation of the state could only be resolved by ensuring the fundamental federal values like decentralization, provincial autonomy, and devolution within the provinces to the grass root level
Water War Thesis: Perspective from South Asia
No full textWater war thesis argues that water scarcity due to climate change and population surge has resulted in water disputes in different arid regions of the world. Absence of water treaties amongst co-riparian states of a river, or stress in the treaties, hydrohegemonic behavior, and deviation from international water law on the part of a regional power, domestic water disputes and the subsequent pressures for more water could snow ball the water disputes into water wars. Such a water war could take place in the Middle East. This paper analyzes the basis premises of the water war thesis in the context of regional hydro-politics of South Asia. It argues that the region of South Asia is equally vulnerable to the water war thesis and recommends serious consideration
Pakistan’s Water Security: Contemporary Challenges and Options
Get PDFDespite extensive research on water scarcity in Pakistan, little is known about Pakistan’s options in addressing its quest for water security. This study analyses Pakistan’s options to address its water security in the light of contemporary challenges through qualitative method of text review of some important primary and secondary sources. An analysis of these documents reveals that in addition to the much debated factors of climate change and population increase, Pakistan water security is under challenge from Indian dams on the Western Rivers in the disputed territory of Kashmir, Indian threats of abrogating the Indus Waters Treaty, Afghanistan’s claim on river Kabul, the seceding role of the World Bank and Pakistan’s internal water feuds. In view of these challenges, Pakistan can live with the present Treaty but can also welcome another multilateral treaty which will include China, and Afghanistan as well. With the US clearly siding with India, Pakistan can employ Chinese clout and the deterrence power of its nuclear weapons to thwart Indian hydro-hegemony on the Indus. This study is part of the recent research on Pakistan’s quest for water security and will contribute to future research on similar topics
