LAHORE: Pakistan must treat water security as a national security priority and adopt a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to address growing climate and resource challenges, experts said at a seminar organised by the Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS) Lahore on Wednesday.
The event, titled “Water Governance as a Climate Security Challenge in Pakistan,” brought together academics, policy experts and practitioners to discuss the implications of water scarcity, climate change and governance shortcomings on the country’s future.
Addressing the seminar, Dr Fiaz Hussain Shah, Director of the Institute of Environmental Design and Conservation (IEDC) at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), described water security as an integral component of national security because of its direct impact on human wellbeing and economic stability.
He said climate change was acting as a “threat multiplier”, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and increasing pressure on Pakistan’s water resources. Dr Shah also discussed regional hydropolitics, including concerns surrounding the Indus Waters Treaty and recent tensions over transboundary water management.
He stressed the need to strengthen resilience against water insecurity and called for a shift from reactive responses to long-term strategic planning. Referring to groundwater depletion, water losses and distribution challenges, he said Pakistan needed a comprehensive and coordinated framework for water governance.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Naseer Memon, Senior Advisor for Water Governance at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), warned that Pakistan had entered a phase of severe water stress driven largely by rapid population growth and inefficient resource management.
He highlighted issues such as canal seepage, waterlogging, salinity and declining agricultural productivity, noting that substantial quantities of water were lost before reaching end users.
Mr Memon underscored the ecological and economic importance of the Indus Delta and its mangrove forests, describing them as a natural barrier against environmental disasters. He also stressed the need to address water pollution and regulate groundwater extraction more effectively.
He advocated population management measures, improved cropping practices, managed aquifer recharge, transparent water distribution mechanisms and the establishment of autonomous regulatory institutions to strengthen water governance.
In his concluding remarks, President CASS Lahore Air Marshal Asim Suleiman (retired) said water stress had become a lived reality for millions of Pakistanis and required urgent policy attention.
He noted that Pakistan’s growing dependence on groundwater, combined with climate-related pressures, demanded stronger adaptation strategies and better coordination among stakeholders. He also emphasised the importance of implementing existing water policies and bridging the gap between policy formulation and execution.
Referring to recent developments concerning the Indus Waters Treaty, he said uncertainty surrounding regional water arrangements had added a new dimension to Pakistan’s water security concerns.
The seminar concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session focusing on food security, climate diplomacy, water governance and policy implementation. Participants appreciated the initiative and called for continued dialogue on the country’s mounting water challenges.
