Politicisation of water resources'.

The global demand for fresh water resources has escalated dramatically over the last few years, especially in light of rapid population growth and widespread urbanization across the globe. Moreover, as the impacts of climate change and stresses of resource scarcity gain further traction, societies are increasingly hard pressed to find effective and sustainable solutions to their water woes. Water scarcity has particularly emerged as a highly critical and contentious issue within South Asia, one of the world's most dynamic regions and home to nearly a quarter of the world population. The subcontinent separated to the north from central Asia by several high mountain ranges - the Karakorum, the Hindukush and the Himalayas- shares a net of major rivers and their tributaries. Some rivers of Pakistan's rivers originate in the western mountains, but most of the water flows of South Asia originate from Tibet. Brahmaputra River rises from its source in western Tibet.

Running almost 2,900 kilometers across Tibet, it then makes and unusual turn and heads back west and into India, before turning south through Bangladesh and emerging in the Bay of Bengal. Indus river originates in the area of Lake Manasarovar in Tibet's Ngari Prefecture. The river runs immediately west and into the Ladakh District of Kashmir before entering Pakistan from the north. The river then flows the entire length of Pakistan, emptying out into the Arabian Sea close to the city of Karachi. Around 3,180 kilometers long, this is Pakistan's longest river. Sutlej, or Langchan Khambab in Tibetan, carves a very different route into Pakistan before joining its sibling from Ngari, the River Indus, for the last 1,000 kilometers to the sea. Irrawaddy is the main river of Myanmar, and a source of water for most of the country.

It is still unclear as to which side of the border the source of this massive waterway lies, as the area is still in dispute between China and Burma. However, its main feeder, the Dulong Jiang, does originate on the Tibetan Plateau, in the north of Tibet in Chayu County and runs through Yunnan Province before crossing into Myanmar to join with the Irrawaddy not far downstream from the source. Bhote Kosi River means 'river from Tibet' is sourced in Tibet in the lower slopes of the famous Mount Shishapangma, is a main river of Nepal. Tributaries of the Ganges - the Bhote Kosi River and the Karnali - originate in the far west of Tibet. Tibet is not only the epicentre of...