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WATER POLITICS

Via Future Directions International, a report on how ambiguity over treaties and water-sharing between provinces may impede the implementation of Pakistan’s new National Water Policy:

Background

The Pakistani Government plans to introduce a mechanism for charging for water use as part the recently announced draft for the National Water Policy. Implementation of this plan will be positive step forward for a sector that has been notorious for its resistance to reform, but ambiguity over water sharing between provinces may lead to delays in, or failure to adopt, the new policy.

Comment

Pakistan is not considered a water-scarce country. Mismanagement, wastage and poor policies, however, have led to the dwindling of once-abundant natural water resources. Increased demand for food and water due to population growth will place increased pressure on water resources, and it is predicted that Pakistan will shift from water-stressed to a water-scarce region by 2030. Existing policies that enable water to be priced cheaply have led to the over-exploitation of water resources (discussed in more detail in this FDI Strategic Analysis Paper), and have led to calls for an overhaul of the existing policy.

Several attempts to introduce a price on water over the years have been met with fierce resistance, particularly among influential landowners. Attempts to introduce new a new national policy have also previously failed due to the lack of trust between provinces which share water resources. The 20-page draft of the National Water Policy will be given to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his approval, but it has received criticism for a lack of consultation with provinces during the drafting process. As the provinces can decide on whether or not to adopt the proposals outlined in the policy, their lack of involvement could have a negative impact on their willingness to adopt the proposal. This is particularly so due to long-standing rivalries and distrust between provinces regarding shared water resources, and a history of inequity in the distribution of water.

Water is considered a provincial issue in Pakistan and a successful national policy will require significant input from each province to ensure that the policy is implemented. New policies will require comprehensive treaties and agreements between provinces which share water resources, and clear details on rights and responsibilities of stakeholders. The new policy remains ambiguous on these issues, which can pose a barrier to its implementation. The government will need to make efforts to ensure greater involvement from each province when providing the final framework for the national policy.

Other issues addressed in the new policy include water and drought management, mitigation of the impact of increased temperatures, protection of water basins through reafforestation, soil conservation and improved land use, the assessment of the impacts of climate change on receding glaciers and the increased siltation of dams and reservoirs. The draft policy also addresses transboundary water sharing, stating that a mechanism will be developed for the sharing of transboundary aquifers and joint watershed management.