When people speak of national security in Pakistan, they tend to think of borders and armies. The actual menace to the existence of the nation is quite different. It manifests itself in the form of melting ice and unforeseeable weather. Studies always rank Pakistan among the countries that will be affected most by a warming world. We must consider this environmental crisis as a serious security problem to survive.

Climate change is commonly referred to by security scholars as a threat multiplier. This implies that the climate hardly begins a new war out of nothing. It rather exacerbates existing issues such as poverty and lack of resources to a much greater extent. The dreadful floods of recent years demonstrated just how this is done. A country just cannot stand on its own feet when it has to use all its funds to repair catastrophes.

Each significant weather catastrophe has a colossal impact on the economy of the country. Whenever there is a failure in the export of farming produce the country loses important foreign exchange reserves. The government then needs to purchase foodstuffs from other nations to prevent mass starvation. It is very evident that we need a healthy environment to have a healthy economy.

Only when people have access to adequate water and food can a country be considered truly secure. The national economy is based absolutely on farming. This whole agricultural regime is virtually reliant on the Indus River Basin. The northern glaciers are melting too quickly due to the existence of hotter global temperatures. This quick melting causes instant and fatal floods of glacial lakes.

The monsoon seasons either bring excessively much rain or none at all. Under such harsh weather fields are not able to yield enough basic crops such as wheat. When ordinary people are unable to feed their families, they become very angry. This strong popular resentment poses a direct challenge to the internal calm of the nation. Scientists observe the tremendous psychological impact on farmers who lose all in a single storm.

The destruction of the environment will compel families to leave their traditional houses in the future. In the south farming areas are turning unworkable due to inhumane heat and lifeless soil. Citizens living close to the shore are observing how the sea is engulfing their land. This colossal wave of human migration places an enormous burden on any of the large cities.

These are cities which cannot accommodate so many newcomers at the same time. The streets and hospitals and the water-pipes are easily crushed to pieces. Individuals also become engaged in a fierce battle because of an extremely limited amount of jobs and essential resources. The result of this stark struggle on a daily basis is often an increase in crime and a disintegration of communities.

To combat this invisible enemy a completely new approach to defense is required on the part of the government. Human security is finally listed as one of the primary objectives of new policy documents. The state should now ensure that there is actual action on those written words very soon. Planners should construct future projects in such a manner that they can withstand severe weather. Modernization of the ancient technology in the farming sector is now a necessary means of protecting the country.

International diplomacy must also be employed to a great extent by the leaders. The nation is generating virtually no pollution that is heating the planet but is getting some of the most damage. It is imperative that we receive climate justice funding from rich countries in order to survive. Our delegates need to collaborate with other countries that are challenged with the same horrific threats. Requesting such financial assistance will never be about charity since it is all about survival.

When its farms perish and its cities drown there is no nation really safe. National strength can no longer be estimated by means of counting weapons. The altering climate is basically an invasion of our motherland at a slow rate. The state should defend its citizens by constructing resolute communities and intelligent environmental laws. We live in a new world that is evolving in every aspect and the only solution is to learn to adapt to it.

Muhammad Bilal khan is a journalist specializing in NTS and SDGs. He is currently associated with a government Think Tank in Islamabad. He can be reached at mbkh0107@gmail.com