Securitising and de-securitising water scarcity in Pakistan: a case study of the Diamer Basha Dam

This study, while detailing the processes of securitisation and de-securitisation of a non-traditional security issue, deliberates on the water scarcity in Pakistan. It addresses the question that whether the problem of not giving importance to water scarcity lies with the ‘intent’ or ‘capacity’ of the actors – the elite. Or the securitisation is done by the actors ‘only’ to achieve their political objectives? This qualitative embedded case study deals with the rhetoric about the construction of the Diamer Basha Dam in order to address the water scarcity around the 2018 elections. The study finds that the securitisation of non-tradition security issues translates the elite's (securitising actors) political rhetoric (speech acts) into policy. The same elite de-securitises the issues after realising their political goals by removing the ‘speech acts’ from the equation. HIGHLIGHTS Non-traditional security issues, such as water scarcity, are as important as traditional security issues.; If the non-traditional security issues are not securitised, there exists a lesser chance that the public will support the state's position.; Securitising actors' ‘speech acts’ are carried out, deliberated, and explained by the civil society in order to influence the ‘audience’.;