Political Approaches to Climate Change and Water Security in Pakistan: A Comparative Study of PPP, PML-N, and PTI

Abstract

This study looked at the political approaches of the three main parties of Pakistan, namely Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), towards climate change and water security. An equally important factor in this regard is the role of political leadership in developing and implementing sound environmental policies, given that Pakistan has become increasingly vulnerable to disasters caused by climate change and water scarcity. The Central question of the study is that How have the three major political parties PPP, PML-N, and PTI addressed climate change and water security through their policies and actions? To answer the question, qualitative comparative methodology is used by analyzing party manifestos, policy documents, and legislative measures. It is found that despite all three parties accepting the challenges faced by the environment, the policy frameworks prescribed by them possess wide variations, which include scope, clarity, and implementation. The PPP has stated legislative reforms and international commitments and PML-N worked on renewable energy projects and infrastructures while PTI was known for proactive measures such as the Billion Tree Tsunami. Nonetheless, inconsistency of governments, weak coordination among federal and provincial governments, and limited participation of the public still remain major obstacles. This study concludes that a sustainable climate governance and water governance in Pakistan can only come from bipartisan political will, strong institutions, and inclusive policymaking.