Islamabad: Experts from the water sector and several diplomats have recommended the adoption of ‘Hydro Diplomacy’ as a viable solution for tackling the region’s water management issues, according to a news report. They stated that these concerns between Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India can be resolved by opening up diplomatic channels.
These statements were made at a conference titled ‘Water
Beyond Borders’, organised by Lead Pakistan. Diplomats, parliamentarians, and
various water experts participated in this conference to discuss regional water
woes.
Leader of the House in Senate Shibli Faraz said that there is a global water shortage that is putting millions of lives at risk, and that cooperation between water-sharing nations was necessary to mitigate these risks. He added that if this precious natural resource was not mutually regulated with political coordination, then it could lead to drastic situations.
Faraz stated that being an agricultural nation with the world’s most interconnected irrigation network, Pakistan was particularly at risk from water management issues. He added that the Indus Water Treaty was a test case for water cooperation between neighbouring countries in conflict.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin
Aslam added that sharing water resources was a challenge for Pakistan, and that
the Indus Water Treaty needed to be updated in order to take into account
climate change and groundwater aquifer.
