• The challenge for modern society is to revisit this foundation and to ask whether security is serving human welfare, or whether human welfare has been subordinated to the demands of security.

Noor Muhammad Marri, Advocate | Islamabad

Human beings did not arrive at the idea of the state in a single moment; it was the result of a long and difficult journey shaped by fear, necessity, and survival. In the earliest stages, humans lived in conditions close to the jungle, where life was uncertain and governed by sheer strength and instinct. Gradually, they moved into nomadic and semi-nomadic patterns, forming small groups for hunting and gathering. These early societies were constantly exposed to natural disasters such as floods, diseases, and scarcity of food, along with the ever-present threat of external aggression from rival groups. Survival in such conditions was fragile, and individual strength alone was not enough.

It was within this environment that the first seeds of collective organization were sown. Humans began to recognize the need for a larger, organized force that could offer protection and stability. Initially, this took the form of alliances between powerful tribes. These unions were practical arrangements aimed at mutual defense and resource sharing. Over time, such alliances evolved into more structured configurations of authority, where leadership became more defined and systems of control began to emerge. Eventually, these arrangements hardened into despotic forms of governance, where power was centralized in the hands of a few. Despite this concentration of authority, the underlying justification remained rooted in welfare and protection. The state, in its earliest recognizable form, was meant to shield people from chaos and insecurity.

The moral foundation of the state, therefore, was grounded in the idea of collective welfare. It existed as a response to human vulnerability, a mechanism to ensure that individuals could live with a degree of safety and predictability. However, as human societies expanded in size and complexity, the character of the state began to transform. With the accumulation of resources and the emergence of ruling elites, power itself became an objective. Institutions that were originally designed to serve the collective gradually began to serve their own continuity. Security, which was once a means to ensure welfare, slowly turned into an end in itself.

This transformation became more pronounced as states came into competition with one another. External threats, territorial ambitions, and the desire for dominance pushed states to prioritize military strength and centralized control. Internally, maintaining authority required surveillance, discipline, and coercion. In this process, welfare did not disappear, but it was pushed into a secondary position. The success of the state increasingly came to be measured by its ability to maintain order, defend its borders, and assert its power, rather than by the well-being of its people.

The shift from welfare to security became unmistakable during the great wars of the twentieth century. The World War I and the World War II were not ordinary conflicts; they were total wars that mobilized entire populations and economies. Every aspect of society—industry, science, agriculture, and human labor—was redirected toward the war effort. These wars taught states a decisive lesson: in the modern world, survival depends upon military capability. Strength was no longer optional; it was essential.

Following the devastation of the World War II, this lesson did not fade. Instead, it was institutionalized during the Cold War, a period defined by constant tension and preparation for conflict. Although direct war between major powers was largely avoided, the entire global system was organized around the possibility of war. Military readiness, deterrence, and technological superiority became permanent priorities. The war industry, which had once expanded during times of conflict, became a continuous and central feature of the state.

It was in this environment that modern science and technology accelerated at an unprecedented pace. Institutions like NASA emerged not only from a desire for exploration but from strategic competition between powerful states. The space race symbolized technological achievement, yet it was deeply connected to missile development and military capability. The same rockets that could carry humans into space could also deliver destruction across continents.

The development of computers followed a similar path. Early computing systems were created to solve military problems such as artillery calculations and code-breaking. Over time, these systems evolved into the backbone of modern information technology. The internet itself has origins in defense projects designed to ensure communication during times of war. Today, fields such as Artificial Intelligence, cyber technology, and advanced data systems are increasingly integrated into military strategies, from surveillance to autonomous weapons and cyber warfare.

Even disciplines that appear purely civilian often carry the imprint of military priorities. Advances in aviation, materials science, and biotechnology have frequently been driven by defense needs. The boundary between civilian innovation and military application has become increasingly blurred, revealing a deeper pattern in the evolution of modern progress.

Thus, the state, already transformed into a security-centered institution, found in technology a powerful extension of its priorities. Scientific progress continued, but its direction was shaped by the imperatives of power and survival. The central question shifted from improving human welfare to enhancing the state’s capacity to defend and dominate. Technology became both a tool of protection and an instrument of control.

This does not mean that humanity has not benefited from these advancements. On the contrary, modern life has been profoundly improved by developments in communication, healthcare, and transportation. However, the underlying structure of innovation reveals a persistent truth: the most advanced technologies are often first developed in the service of war and only later adapted for peaceful use.

In this way, the evolution of the state and the trajectory of technological progress reinforce one another. The security state justifies its expansion through the language of threat, while technological advancement provides the means to respond to that threat. Together, they create a continuous cycle in which preparation for war becomes a permanent condition of peace.

The journey from survival to security, therefore, is not merely a story of progress. It is also a story of transformation, where the original purpose of the state—to protect human beings from suffering—risks being overshadowed by its own instinct for preservation. The challenge for modern society is to revisit this foundation and to ask whether security is serving human welfare, or whether human welfare has been subordinated to the demands of security.

Read: Nietzsche Thesis on Liberalism and Equality

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Noor Muhammad Marri is an Advocate and Mediator, based in Islamabad

The post From the Survival to Security first appeared on Sindh Courier.

• It binds religious rituals, sustains economies, fuels poetry, divides provinces, and carries both disease and healing. As climate change intensifies, water will become an even more contested and precious element.

By Abdullah Usman Morai | Sweden

Water as Culture, Crisis, and Connection

Water is more than a resource; it is memory, identity, power, prayer, and pain. In South Asia, water runs deeper than its physical presence in rivers, lakes, or rain. It flows through the region’s mythology, religions, economies, emotions, and daily routines. From the snow-fed Indus and Ganges to rain-harvesting wells in Rajasthan and Sindh, every drop carries centuries of civilization. Yet, today, this sacred element is caught in the tides of climate change, geopolitical tension, social inequality, and cultural transformation.

This article journeys through different perspectives of water in South Asia—culturally, religiously, socially, traditionally, emotionally, ecologically, and economically. Drawing from real case studies, it explores how water binds communities and yet divides them, nurtures life and yet is a site of struggle. A “Water Fair” organized with these diverse angles in mind would not only celebrate water but also raise essential questions about its future.

1. Cultural Reverence and Rivers as Storytellers

South Asian culture is shaped by rivers. The Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Yamuna, Ravi, and others have nurtured poetry, legends, and collective memory. In Sindh, for example, folk songs echo the rhythms of the Indus/ Sindhu, and Ajrak fabric is traditionally washed in its waters before being dried under the sun.

In Bangladesh, boat festivals, riverine weddings, and songs like “Bhatiali” reflect life along the water. In India, rivers like the Yamuna and Ganga have played central roles in epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

A remarkable case is the “River March” in Maharashtra, where villagers walk to raise awareness about reviving dying rivers. These cultural movements not only preserve tradition but also engage younger generations in ecological dialogue.

2. Religion and the Sacredness of Water

Religions in South Asia assign spiritual significance to water. In Hinduism, water from the Ganges is believed to purify the soul. Rituals such as bathing in sacred rivers during Kumbh Mela draw millions. Islam emphasizes ablution (wudu), reinforcing the idea of water as a cleanser before prayer. In Sikhism, the Sarovar (sacred pool) at the Golden Temple is not only symbolic but also participatory.

The famous Pushkar Lake in Rajasthan is said to have been created by Lord Brahma, while the Zamzam Well in Makkah is revered across the Muslim world, including South Asia. Buddhist monasteries in Ladakh are often located near glacial springs, emphasizing harmony with nature.

In 2018, India legally recognized the Ganga and Yamuna rivers as “living entities” with rights, though this legal status was later overturned; it demonstrated a profound philosophical and legal recognition of water’s sanctity.

3. Social Realities: Inequality and Gendered Burdens

In South Asia, water access is a deeply social issue. It is shaped by caste, class, gender, and geography. In rural Rajasthan or Tharparkar, women walk miles daily to fetch water. A 2021 UNICEF report noted that South Asian women and girls spend up to 200 million hours daily collecting water.

In Karachi, water mafias charge slum residents for tanker water, while wealthier neighborhoods have piped access. In Chennai, India, the 2019 “Day Zero” crisis highlighted unequal urban water distribution, where gated communities had water delivered while low-income areas were parched.

Case Study: In Nepal’s hilly regions, women carry water in “gagris” on their backs from springs far below their homes. Projects like the Gravity-Fed Water System have eased burdens, but many villages still depend on seasonal availability.

4. Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Practices

Before modern infrastructure, South Asians built complex systems of water management: stepwells (baolis), johads (earthen check dams), and ghats. These systems combined engineering with community ethos.

Case Study: In Gujarat, India, the 1,000-year-old Rani ki Vav stepwell is a UNESCO heritage site showcasing water engineering and aesthetic brilliance. In Sindh, ancient Persian wheels and community-managed canals reflect how water was shared equitably.

In Sri Lanka, the ancient Sinhalese irrigation systems used tanks and canals to optimize monsoon waters. Reviving these traditions through community-led efforts can enhance both sustainability and heritage.

5. Ecological Crisis: Rivers in Peril

Pollution, damming, encroachment, and plastic waste are choking South Asia’s water bodies. The Yamuna River in Delhi resembles a drain, filled with foam and industrial runoff. Pakistan’s Manchhar Lake, once Asia’s largest freshwater lake, has shrunk due to pollution and agricultural runoff.

The Indus Delta has been shrinking, causing saline intrusion and ruining farmland. Wetlands like Chilika in Odisha and Keenjhar Lake in Sindh are facing threats due to climate and human pressure.

Case Study: Bangladesh’s Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, is experiencing salinity rise, threatening freshwater availability and unique flora and fauna, including the Bengal tiger.

Efforts like the “Namami Gange” program in India or community-led cleaning of the Ravi in Lahore indicate a growing realization, but the pace is slow compared to the damage.

6. Transport and Livelihood: Water as Economy

For millions, water is a livelihood. In Bangladesh, over 700,000 boatmen operate along its 700 rivers. In Pakistan, canal irrigation supports agriculture across Punjab and Sindh. Fisherfolk in the Indus and Brahmaputra deltas depend entirely on river health.

Case Study: In Kerala, India, backwaters support not only fishing and farming but also tourism. Houseboats and water taxis offer eco-friendly transport.

Yet, livelihoods are threatened by overfishing, pollution, and decreasing river flows. The construction of dams upstream often leaves downstream communities vulnerable.

7. Emotional and Psychological Connection

Water is emotional memory. For many in South Asia, rivers are associated with childhood swims, prayers, and family picnics. The loss of a local pond or riverbank changes the social fabric.

Case Study: In Punjab, elderly residents recall playing by now-dry canals, noting the loneliness of modern landscapes. In Kashmir, the shrinking Dal Lake reflects not just environmental loss but cultural erosion.

Films, literature, and songs mourn vanishing waters. Gulzar’s poems, for instance, often use rivers as metaphors for relationships and change. In Rabindranath Tagore’s works, rivers often symbolize the journey of life.

8. Conflict and Cooperation: The Politics of Water

The Indus Waters Treaty (1960) between India and Pakistan has withstood wars, but is under strain due to new dams and political mistrust. Recently, there have been serious allegations that India violated the spirit of the treaty by accelerating dam construction on western rivers. This has heightened concerns in Pakistan over reduced downstream flows into Sindh and Balochistan.

Internally, provinces in Pakistan and states in India fight over river water. In 2024–25, a major conflict arose when the Punjab province of Pakistan planned to build new canals from the Indus River. Sindh opposed the move, citing historical water rights and ecological damage. Demonstrations erupted across Sindh, leading to road blockades and political unrest.

The Teesta water-sharing issue between India and Bangladesh remains unresolved. The Cauvery dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka is a recurring flashpoint.

Case Study: The Kalabagh Dam debate in Pakistan reflects fears of water control and provincial dominance. Sindh and Balochistan argue it would reduce their share, causing agricultural and ecological loss.

Yet, water diplomacy also offers hope. Regional cooperation platforms like SAARC could promote shared water management, though political will is often lacking.

A Drop of Hope, A Call for Action

Water is a prism through which South Asia’s past, present, and future can be understood. It binds religious rituals, sustains economies, fuels poetry, divides provinces, and carries both disease and healing. As climate change intensifies, water will become an even more contested and precious element.

A “Water Fair”—as an educational, cultural, and policy event—can serve as a space to reflect on this complexity. Through storytelling, science, art, and activism, such an initiative can restore not just rivers and lakes, but the emotional and cultural bonds that water once so effortlessly carried.

In reimagining water, we must remember that every drop holds a history, a right, and a responsibility. And only when we honor water in all its dimensions can we ensure that it continues to nurture life for generations to come.

Read: Observe More, Judge Less

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Abdullah Soomro, penname Abdullah Usman Morai, hailing from Moro town of Sindh, province of Pakistan, is based in Stockholm Sweden. Currently he is working as Groundwater Engineer in Stockholm Sweden. He did BE (Agriculture) from Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam and MSc water systems technology from KTH Stockholm Sweden as well as MSc Management from Stockholm University. Beside this he also did masters in journalism and economics from Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs, Sindh. He is author of a travelogue book named ‘Musafatoon’. His second book is in process. He writes articles from time to time. 

The post Survival: The Life in a Drop first appeared on Sindh Courier.

For international financing institutions, the choice is clear it is only to uphold the principles of equity and sustainability or risk complicity in a humanitarian catastrophe. The people of Sindh are watching

 Zaheer Udin Babar Junejo

Thousands of Sindh’s residents have taken to the streets this week, blocking highways and staging sit-ins outside government offices, as frustration over crippling water shortages reaches a boiling point. Protesters, farmers, laborers, students, and civil society groups are demanding immediate action to address what they call a “political disaster” fueled by mismanagement, climate change, and alleged complicity by international institutions. At the heart of the uproar are widespread rumors that the International funding agencies are funding an undisclosed infrastructure project upstream, which activists claim could further divert the Indus River’s dwindling flow away from Sindh.  In main cities like Karachi, and Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas, crowds marched with banners reading, “Save the Indus, Save Sindh,” while in rural Thatta, farmers burned effigies of policymakers accused of ignoring their plight. “For three years, my fields have turned to dust. My children are migrating to cities because there’s no water to grow crops,” said Ali Hassan, a farmer from Sukkur. “If the Indus dies, we die with it.”  The protests reflect decades of simmering grievances. Sindh, home to 50 million people, contributes 30% of Pakistan’s agricultural output but receives less than its fair share of water under the 1991 Water Apportionment Accord. With the Indus’ flow declining by 40% over the past 50 years due to climate change and upstream dams, Sindh’s cities and farms are parched. Karachi, a megacity of 16 million, faces daily water rationing, while 60% of the province’s groundwater is now too saline for use, according to the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR).

The Indus, which originates in the Himalayas, relies on glacial melt for 50% of its flow. But rising temperatures have caused Himalayan glaciers to lose 15% of their ice since the 1970s, according to the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). Erratic rainfall and prolonged droughts have worsened the crisis, leaving Sindh’s reservoirs at just 20% capacity this summer.

Protesters accuse Punjab Province and India of “stealing” Sindh’s water through massive dams and diversions. Under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, India controls the eastern rivers, while Pakistan relies on the western rivers, including the Indus. However, India’s hydropower projects on the Chenab and Jhelum have reduced downstream flow. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s own Tarbela and Mangla dams, built to store water, have lost 36% of their capacity due to sedimentation, per PCRWR.  “The system is rigged against Sindh,” says Fatima Shah, a hydrologist at Sindh University. “When Punjab overdraws water during droughts, Sindh’s share vanishes. Now, secretive projects could make this theft permanent.”   Amid the chaos, a new flashpoint has emerged, allegations that the World Bank is financing additional canals projects upstream. While details remain murky, protesters point to the Bank’s $1 billion Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) loan in 2022 for “water resource management” as a red flag.

“Why is the World Bank funding projects that could harm 50 million people?” asked Mir Mohammad, a Tharparkar-based activist. “If these projects are illegal or violate the 1991 Accord, the Bank is enabling ecological destruction and human rights violations.”   The World Bank’s stated mission to promote “sustainable development” and “shared prosperity” appears at odds with these allegations. The Bank has not confirmed any direct funding for disputed projects, but its silence has fueled anger. In a press release last month, the Bank reiterated its commitment to “equitable water access” but did not address Sindh-specific concerns.

Civil society groups argue that any project affecting transboundary or interprovincial water resources must undergo rigorous environmental and social impact assessments (ESIAs), as mandated by the Bank’s safeguards. “Approving projects without consulting Sindh’s stakeholders is a betrayal,” says Ahmed Rind of the Sindh Water Committee. In rural Sindh, the human toll is visceral. At a protest camp in Dadu, women described walking 10 kilometers daily to fetch contaminated water. “Our children are sick with diarrhea, but the government says there’s no money for filtration plants,” said Parveen Bibi, a mother of six.

Farmers, who form 70% of Sindh’s workforce, face ruin. The World Bank estimates that flood irrigation wastes 50% of Pakistan’s water, yet Sindh lacks drip irrigation systems. “I’ve switched from rice to millet, but even that needs water,” said Gul Mohammad, whose family has farmed for generations. “If the Indus dries up, our culture dies with it.”

Protesters and civil society groups have issued four demands:

1. The international agencies must suspend financing for any project linked to upstream dams or canals until independent audits confirm compliance with the 1991 Accord and environmental laws.
2. A transparent, international inquiry must determine whether funded projects violate the rights of downstream communities.
3. The funding agencies should use its platform to advocate for Sindh at the UN and other global forums.
4. Redirect resources to climate-resilient infrastructure in Sindh, such as desalination plants, recharge dams, and efficient irrigation.

The Sindh government, meanwhile, remains mired in dysfunction. Corruption scandals plague the provincial irrigation department, and critics accuse Karachi’s political elite of prioritizing industrial water contracts over rural needs. “Our leaders have sold our water rights,” claimed almost every protester on the road.  All of us need to realize that water scarcity is not just an environmental issue, it is a ticking time bomb for massive social unrest. For international financing institutions, the choice is clear it is only to uphold the principles of equity and sustainability or risk complicity in a humanitarian catastrophe.  The people of Sindh are watching.

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Zaheer Udin Babar Junejo is a Community Development Specialist based in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan

Read: Systemic Biases and Climate Inequity

The post Indus’ Survival: Are we born to erase? first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Savera Sultan Abbasi

Do you know the nature is very important for human beings’ survival? Nature is our single source, which gives us food, water, medicine, and materials to keep us safe from any kind of harms, even natural cycles such as climate and nutrients. Benefits of nature-rich environment, to people’s health and mental health being. In today’s life, we have forgotten the crucial role of nature. When we talk about nature, it doesn’t mean the trees, plants, and forests. It also includes animals, land, water, air, and the weather around us. There is nothing completely like being deep in a forest or focused in the natural world, completely separated from society. The only sounds are those of your own breathing, footsteps, and wind whispering trees, and the movements of the creatures who call the wild home.

But the fact of the matter is that too many of us rarely get to experience this more and more people are moving away from nature into towns and cities. Many towns have beautiful parks but visiting them is quite the same as becoming deeply immersed in the countryside.

In fact, there is clear evidence that people who make an effort to spend time in it are happier, healthier, and more creative. Nature reduces stress and helps us to find meaning and connect with our true selves. Studies show the closer we are to nature, the happier we feel. Nature is powerful and anti-depressed. When we visit it, we feel both peaceful and uneasy all at once. Perhaps this is because all life began in nature and all till the end.

Read: Nature and Humanity as Source of Life, Living and Everyday Transformation

It is not only our minds that benefit from time in the woods but also our bodies. It also helps strengthen the immune system and benefits from nature. We might be divided into four parts.

(1) Cognitive benefits: It improves directed attention because it reduces mental fatigue provoked by the city environment and demanding cognitive tasks .it increases concentration and the ability to perform tasks.

(2) Psychological benefits: Have u had a bad day? Felt angry, depressed, frightened, frustrated, fatigued, anxious, or sad? Nature triggers or reduces bad feelings; clear your head by going for a walk in a natural environment. Moreover, you may fall asleep easily. When we go to the parks and the jungle, we take deep breaths and feel relaxed because oxygen is fresh in our minds. When we see greenery reduces stress and makes us feel relaxed. The whispering of birds and air works on natural music, which controls our heart rate and blood pressure.

(3) Physiological benefits: Doing exercises and walking in parks helps you get angry and lose weight. It is awesome for physical health. Nature reduces obesity, heart, and breathing diseases, as well as long-term illnesses such as diabetes, Alzheimer and Parkinson’s. Take vitamin D through sunlight. This is strong for the bones and also fresh the mood. Studies have found that workers who include views of nature in their workplace report less and higher job satisfaction. Having flowers and plants at home can increase concentration and reduce stress.

(4) Spiritual benefits: have you ever wondered about how to feel inspired when you have lost motivation? Among other tips, one is to have contact with nature. Nature heals our souls. When we go to rivers, oceans, and mountains, we feel special peace and relaxation in our souls because the voice of water works on our mind, meditation, and feeling relaxed. Seeing the stars, the moon, and the whispering of morning birds and air make a spiritual connection. We have to do gardening and grow plants in our homes, work on the soil, take care of plants, and also see greenery. This is work-like therapy and automatically reduces stress and depression. Spend time in nature daily. Go for a walk to the park, walk on the grass, and feel it. You will slowly see everything is changing around you.

Read: Parental Involvement can enhance the Quality of Education

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Savera Sultan Abbasi is the student at Department of Anthropology and Archaeology University of Sindh Jamshoro.

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