Challenges in South Asia


  South Asia (SA) is home of eight countries: Afghanistan,Bangladesh, Bhutan,India,Pakistan,Maldives,Nepal and Sirilanka. SA is a diverse region and people of different religions and ethnicities are living in it. Meanwhile, the area is also home of two nuclear powers:India and Pakistan. The region is lying at the edge of Indian Ocean. Therefore, it has great importance from geographical and geo-startegic point of view. The states have also a regional organization known as South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation to harness the fruits of its typical geography.

   Despite all these positive aspects, SA is one of the backward regions of the world. There are plethora of challenges and issues which are haunting the progress of the area.

   First of all, hostile ties among countries of the area are major stumbling block in the way of properity and development. India and Pakistan are two giants of the region. They have very tense relations. Bellicosity and war-mongering are major features of their bilateral relationships. Due to Kashmir issue, they have fought three wars. And, chances of a full scale nuclear war are always there.

   Similarly, Sirilanka and India do not have history of friendly relations. In addition to this, Pakistan and Afghanistan have dispute over demarcation of Durrand Line, border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. At the same time, Nepal and India have differences over Line of Actual Control, boundary line between Nepal and India.

   Likewise, people of SA are victim of terrorism. In Afghanistan, presence of Al Qaida, Tareek-e-Taliban Pakistan, East Turkistan Movement and Islamic State for Khorasan is a constant threat.

    Similarly, extremism is another social evil which is very common in the region. Lynching and demonisation of Muslims in India on slaughtering of cows, discriminatory practices against Muslims in Sirilanka in the name of religion and brutal killing of Priyantha Kumara, a Sirilankan citizen, in Sialkot Pakistan on alleged crime of blasphemy are ample examples of the fact.

   In addition to these conventional threats, South Asian countries have also been facing some serious unconventional challenges. Among these issues, water scarcity is the major one. Currently, Pakistan is present in the list of water-stress countries. According to a report of International Monetary Fund, if policymakers of Pakistan do not take necessary measures to fix the problem, Pakistan will become a water scarce country by 2025. On the other hand, per captia water availability is also decreasing in India and Afghanistan. If these two states build some infrastructure on rivers to meet their demands of water in future, Pakistan will face serious shortage of water as it is a low riparian state.

    Furthermore, climate change has been wrecking havoc in SA for last couple of decades. For example, Sirilanka has faced drought in 2016 and 2017. Heavy floods in 2022 and 2010 during monsoon season in Pakistan are other repercussions of climate change. At the same time, rising water level due to climate change is an existential threat to Maldives and Sirilanka, island states of SA. Heatwaves and glacial outbursts are also taking lives in the region.

   And, rapid growth of population is a ticking bomb for Pakistan and India. Today, Pakistan is home of almost 220 million people while population of India is around 1.3 billion. These states have not enough resources to fulfill fundamental needs of such a huge number of people.

   Summing it up, one can say that SA is facing myriad of issues. Conventional and unconventional fears are hovering over the region. And, if states of the area want to change their fate, they have to adopt prudent policies, leave brinkmanship and come on table of dialogue for settling their disputes and framing joint strategy for  well being of the people.

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