This lecture examines an often neglected aspect of war
– the environmental impact of military conflict and operations. The environment
is frequently a victim in times of conflict as deliberate destruction is a
consequence of various military strategies. The talk focuses on the importance
of identifying issues and methods to document the environmental impact of Pakistan’s
ongoing war and raises questions about the overwhelming silence on the impact
of war on Pakistan’s
ecosystems.

Military actions have repercussions for local,
national and global environment. Emergent military technologies have increased
the scope and severity of damage incurred by war. A key question raised is:
What impact is the transportation of weapons and troops, activities of
militants, military operations and frequent bombing of Pakistan’s
northern areas having on its ecosystems?
Issues related to measuring the impact of ecological
footprints, boot prints and hoof prints and emerging discourses that frame policy
choices or their absence also need to be reviewed.  Among these discourses
are climate change, military greening, national natural security and human and
gendered security that are being actively framed by various communities. What
are appropriate responses to these ecological threats?
Bio: Dr. Robina Bhatti is Professor of Global Studies at California State University, Monterey Bay. Her
areas of specialization include Global Political Economy, Global Politics and
Global Ecology. Her current research in Pakistan focuses on the
impact of US
policy on everyday life in Pakistan.
Her lecture on environmental issues related to ongoing war is part of this
research project.

Chair: Ms Foqia Sadiq Khan, Associate Research Fellow, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI)