WATER CRISIS AND NATIONAL UNITY

Introduction:

Have you ever think about the cause of third world war?

"I ask if, in this piecemeal third world war that we are living through, we are not going towards a great world war for water?"

 This meaningful statement was given by the  Pope Francis, during the seminar, held in Feb 23,24-3016. I  conclude from this statement that water crisis is the most challenging threat to Nations' unity which may turn the world into interstate and intrastate wars. It is a bitter fact that 1000 children die per day around the globe due to water scarcity.

Term "Water crisis" describes the deficit of the availability of usable and fresh water. When we study the term only water crisis, it reflects the situation of the death of 1000 children per day but when I study the two terms of the water crisis and national unity collectively, it chews over the unrest, anarchy, insecurity and provincial, national and continental divides.

 Water Ratio:

As we all know that Earth has the 71% water surface in which 2.5% is fresh water but only 0.3% is in liquid form while rest of is in a frozen state as glaciers.

 Some troubling statistics  about Water Scarcity:

The World has the population of 7.1 billion in which more than 1.2 million are lack access to clean and potable water. It affects 2.8 billion people at least one month throughout the year in every continent. Now, this issue has been very critical, troubling and alarming as a thousand children die due to water related illnesses and millions of people are consuming polluted water.

Causes of crisis:

Water scarcity is the result of many activities by humans.

"Children of a culture born in a water -rich environment, we have never really learned how important water is to us.We understand it, but we don't respect it."

William Ashworth

Overuse of water is found in every home mostly. More than demand water is used on people, animals, and things.You can observe that a child washes his face, he keeps in flowing water from tape while rubbing his face.Water pollution is another responsible factor for water deficiency. Poorly designed or badly affected sewerage system or industrial wastage pollutes water, oil leakage, chemicals, and Flood are also polluting water.Conflicts on the water reservoirs are leading towards deprivation and crisis.Political intervention and less effective policies and corruption have the lion's share in creating water scarcity.

A threat to national Unity:

Asia consists of 60% of world population, generating 2/3 output to the world. A renowned Diplomat Mr.Muneer Akram once predicted in his editorial that Asian development bank has regarded South Asia as the most water stressed region of the world.Matter of the fact is that history is evident that South Asian region has been the most controversial and conflicted for capturing maximum share of water. The reason of three intermittent wars between Pakistan and India over the Kashmir was the geostrategic location and water resources and still, this area is controversial and under civil war.This dispute has been affecting the national unity of both countries  Pakistan and India for 70 years. In some parts, serious protest is found in India against the policies of Indian govt. but extremists in India spread anarchy for Kashmir.It shows that there is an extreme divide between the public of India.On the other hand, strong favor for freedom of Kashmir seems in Pakistan. Furthermore, continual violation of Indus water treaty by India leading instability which may cause of more expensive and deadly war because these nations are now atomic powers and are equipped with nuclear weapons and missiles.In addition, not only these two nations but their alliances may also be a danger to the national unities of their countries.Moreover, leading and super powers nations have a strong determination on the areas where water reservoirs and also on Gulf countries and for achievement they're not afraid of using mother of the weapons and missile, they hold.Neto forces intervention and further increasing the no of arm guards every year in Afghanistan by America is one best example of these type of efforts.

On the national level, a common perspective can be seen in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh. People of Punjab are more prosperous than Sind.Sind, especially Tharparkar and Karachi a metropolitan city not only the capital city of Sindh but also an economic hub of Pakistan has entered into the serious phase of the water crisis.

Now MPs and mayor of Karachi keep on criticizing Federal and Punjab govt as they are allocating less water proportion and doing discrimination.In Punjab, many stakeholders and political personals have been demanding to make Punjab as a new country because of its prosperity. This situation reflects that water crisis damaging the unity among people among nations and may among continents.

Conclusion:

"Water crisis has a deep impact on nation's unity in form of demonstration, protests, boycotts, sectarianism, divides and civil obedience.It also creates unrest in public."

by Nimra Javed

Pakistan