Water security now a national security issue: Ahsan Iqbal

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary on Tuesday said water security has emerged as a critical national security, food security, and economic stability challenge for Pakistan, warning that the country can no longer afford reactive crisis management.

He was speaking while chairing the first meeting of the National Water Security Task Force, convened to address escalating water risks arising from climate change, upstream vulnerabilities, and rapid population growth.

“Water is no longer only a resource issue; it is a national security, food security, and economic stability issue,” the minister said, according to an official statement.

Highlighting the scale of the challenge, the meeting was told that nearly 80% of Pakistan’s water originates from rivers, leaving the country highly exposed to upstream flows and climate variability. Officials also noted that glaciers in the Hindukush-Himalaya region are melting at an alarming pace, with around 23% of glacier ice already lost since 1960.

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The minister warned that rising water stress poses a direct threat to agriculture, livelihoods, food security, and long-term economic growth.

Prof. Ahsan Iqbal directed the formulation of a long-term National Water Security Master Plan extending to 2047 or 2050, aligned with Pakistan’s overall development trajectory. He also instructed that water and food security be fully integrated into the government’s 5Es Framework and national planning priorities.

The minister stressed the need to accelerate strategic water storage projects, including the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams, describing them as critical milestones for building national resilience.

He ordered the formation of a technical working group comprising representatives from WAPDA, IRSA, the National Flood Commission, provincial governments, academia, and the private sector.

The working group has been tasked with presenting practical, time-bound and actionable solutions, supported by a clear implementation roadmap.

During the meeting, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal also raised concerns over India’s upstream water management practices, stating that New Delhi is increasingly “weaponising water” by controlling releases in ways that create artificial extremes, withholding flows during critical periods and releasing water abruptly during monsoon floods.

He said such actions aggravate Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate-related disasters, undermine agricultural productivity and put national food security at risk.

The minister emphasised that Pakistan must urgently strengthen its water storage capacity, create strategic buffers and adopt long-term water security planning to protect its economy and future generations.

“Pakistan must move from reactive crisis management to proactive resilience planning, ensuring that today’s development does not compromise the rights of future generations,” he said.

“This is not only about managing water; it is about securing Pakistan’s future.”