CSS 2026 Solved Current Affairs Past Papers | Natural Resources as Source of Conflict and Instability
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Question Breakdown
The question deals with the international current analysis of how natural resources become a liability for a country, making it a conflict zone, instead of making it an economic giant. To solve this, try proving your answer with global examples. Also for the second part, you can merge lesson learnt by Pakistan in suggestions to save time and complete answer thoroughly
Outline
1-Introduction
2- The Significance of the Natural Resources for a Country
3- The Manifestation do Natural Resources Becoming a Source of Conflict and Instability
3.1-Intra-State Conflict
- Pakistan with more than 6 trillion Natural Resource Base and the Baluchistan Paradox
- Case in Point: Baluchistan Being Deprived of the Sui Gas leading to the rise of anti-state protests and attacks
- Sudan’s Largest Gold Reserve and UAE-KSA backed Civil Proxies
- Case in Point: Since the 2023 civil war, gold smuggling networds financing the war economy
3.2- Inter-State Conflict
- Hydro-Politics on the Nile River and the Indus River as Strategic Conflict
- Case in Point: The Long-Standing Kashmir Issue Between Pakistan and India with Kashmir being the Indus-Base; the Dam conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia
- Ukraine’s Warm Waters Deep Sea Port and Russia-Ukraine War
- Case in Point: Russia capturing Sevastopol in 2014 attack and still seeking for more since 2022
3.3- Global Power Competition
- Taiwan being central to semi-conductor supply chain, and the US-China diverging Interests in Taiwan
- Case in Point: China’s “One China Two System Policy” and the USA’s Taiwan Relations Act, with increased military standing and surveillance over Taiwan
- Afghanistan, being the shortest materialization of the Rimland Hegemon and USSR invasion of Afghanistan
- Case in Point: 1979 invasion to Afghanistan post-Saur Revolution to reach Arabian Sea as Rimland states, “One who rules the Rimland (and Eurasia) rules the world
- Venezuela and Greenland’s Excessive Natural Resources and USA’s invasions and Threats
- Case in Point: Donald Trump Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from his house in January 2026 claiming all Venezuelan oil reserves
4- Reason Why Resources Trigger Conflict
5- Lessons Learned for Pakistan to Better Harness its Natural Resources
- Institutional Strengthening more than resources through ensured Transparency and Accountability like Norway
- Inclusive Revenue Sharing through Effective Implementation of Article 172(3) to prevent Insurgency
- Strategic Autonomy in Global Competition through Strategic Hedging Policy like Saudi Vision 2030
- Resource Security with Economic and Military Coordination to Ensure Balance of Threat
- A Trained Specialized Negotiator team as ‘Negotiation is an art” to save from blunders like Rik-o-Diq and Barick Gold Contracy
- Revitalization of diplomatic efforts regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) through International Mediation
6- Conclusion
Introduction
The traditional paradigm of international political economy posits that an abundance of natural resources serves as the foundational bedrock for industrialization, national prosperity, and global leverage. From the coal-fired engines of the Industrial Revolution to the petroleum-driven hegemony of the twentieth century, the correlation between geological wealth and state power appeared linear and absolute. However, a more critical examination of the modern geopolitical landscape reveals a harrowing phenomenon known as the Resource Curse or the Paradox of Plenty, wherein states endowed with vast mineral, hydrocarbon, or ecological wealth frequently underperform compared to resource-poor counterparts. Rather than fueling a trajectory toward high-income status, these assets often catalyze a descent into institutional decay, systemic corruption, and protracted violence. The transformation of economic assets into political liabilities occurs when the presence of “point-source” resources—concentrated, high-value commodities—clashes with fragile governance structures, predatory external interests, and inequitable distribution frameworks. Consequently, natural resources, while inherently desirable, are not merely passive economic inputs; they are potent drivers of friction that can ignite intra-state insurgencies, provoke inter-state aggression, and serve as the chessboard for great power competition.
The Significance of the Natural Resources for a Country
To understand the gravity of this paradox, one must first acknowledge the intrinsic significance of natural resources for a country. In a neoclassical sense, they provide the “comparative advantage” necessary for international trade, offering a shortcut to capital accumulation without the immediate need for a highly sophisticated manufacturing base. For a developing nation, a discovery of gold, lithium, or natural gas is often greeted as a providential windfall capable of bridging fiscal deficits and funding social infrastructure. Yet, the history of the Global South is littered with examples where this wealth did not trickle down to the populace but instead entrenched an “extractive elite” that prioritized the protection of resource rents over the development of human capital. This divergence between potential and reality is most visible in the manifestation of intra-state conflict, where the geographic concentration of resources often creates a sense of relative deprivation among local communities.
The Manifestation of Natural Resources Becoming a Source of Conflict and Instability
- Intra-State Conflicts
Pakistan serves as a poignant case in point, possessing a natural resource base valued at over 6 trillion dollars, yet remaining ensnared in a perpetual fiscal crisis. The “Balochistan Paradox” remains the most stark illustration of how resource mismanagement fuels instability. Despite being the primary source of natural gas for the country since the discovery of the Sui Gas field in 1952, the province of Balochistan remained largely unelectrified and deprived of the very fuel it provided to the industrial hubs of Punjab and Sindh. This perceived economic colonization has been the primary grievance fueling decades of anti-state sentiment and militant ethno-nationalism. When the local populace views natural resources as a curse that brings environmental degradation and military presence without economic uplift, the resource becomes a catalyst for insurgency rather than growth.
A similar, albeit more violent, dynamic is currently unfolding in Sudan. Home to some of the world’s largest gold reserves, Sudan has become a battleground where mineral wealth finances a catastrophic civil war. Since the outbreak of hostilities in 2023, gold smuggling networks have become the primary mechanism for financing the war economy, with various factions seeking control over artisanal mining sites to purchase weaponry and secure loyalty. This internal strife is exacerbated by external interference, as regional actors are often accused of backing competing proxies to secure their own strategic and economic interests in the Red Sea region. In this context, gold is not a path to Sudanese development but a currency of carnage that perpetuates state collapse and erodes the possibility of a transition to civilian rule.
- Inter-State Conflicts
The destabilizing nature of resources is not confined within national borders; it frequently spills over into inter-state conflict, particularly when the resource in question is a shared necessity like water. Hydro-politics represents a critical frontier of modern strategic friction, as seen in the basins of the Nile and the Indus. The long-standing Kashmir issue between Pakistan and India is often framed as a territorial dispute, but its core is deeply hydrological. Kashmir serves as the vital Indus-Basin watershed, and control over its glaciers and rivers is a matter of existential survival for both nuclear-armed neighbors. Any attempt to divert or dam these waters is viewed as an act of aggression. Similarly, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile has brought Egypt and Ethiopia to the brink of military confrontation, as Cairo views any reduction in water flow as a direct threat to its national security. When resources are finite and essential, the logic of “zero-sum” competition supersedes diplomatic cooperation, making instability inevitable.
- Global Power Competition
Furthermore, the quest for geographic resources—such as warm-water ports and strategic maritime access—continues to reshape the geopolitical map. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is deeply rooted in this pursuit of “strategic depth” and resource security. Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 was driven by the necessity of securing the Sevastopol deep-sea port, which provides the Russian Navy access to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The escalation of the conflict in 2022 further underscored Moscow’s intent to control Ukraine’s industrial heartland in the Donbas and its agricultural exports, proving that the physical control of resource-rich territory remains a primary driver of modern warfare despite the digital age’s shift toward intangible assets.
The global arena is further complicated by “Great Power Competition,” where resources act as the primary incentive for hegemony. The contemporary rivalry between the United States and China often centers on the “new oil” of the 21st century: semi-conductors and the rare earth minerals required to produce them. Taiwan’s centrality to the global semiconductor supply chain makes it the most dangerous flashpoint in the world. While China asserts its “One China, Two Systems” policy to reclaim sovereignty, the United States utilizes the Taiwan Relations Act to maintain a robust military presence and surveillance, effectively turning the island into a fortified hub for technological containment. Here, the “resource” is not under the ground but in the sophisticated fabrication plants that power the global digital economy.
This pattern of resource-driven intervention is a recurring theme in history, particularly through the lens of Geopolitics. The 20th-century obsession with “Rimland” theory—the idea that whoever controls the coastal fringes of Eurasia controls the world—explains the tragic history of Afghanistan. The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, following the Saur Revolution, was a calculated move to reach the “warm waters” of the Arabian Sea and secure a foothold in the Rimland. Afghanistan’s tragedy is that its geography made it the “Graveyard of Empires,” where global powers fought not for the welfare of the Afghan people, but for the strategic corridors that its territory offered. Even in the Western Hemisphere, the allure of resources continues to tempt interventionist policies. In recent years, the excessive oil reserves of Venezuela and the untapped mineral potential of Greenland have drawn the interest of the United States. The rhetoric surrounding potential regime changes or the hypothetical purchase of Greenland highlights a persistent imperialist urge to secure resource sovereignty through coercion rather than commerce.
Reason Why Resources Trigger Conflict
The fundamental reason why resources trigger conflict lies in the “Rentier State” model. When governments derive the majority of their revenue from resource exports rather than domestic taxation, the social contract is severed. The state no longer needs to be accountable to its citizens, leading to a “democracy deficit” and the rise of authoritarianism. Furthermore, the volatility of global commodity prices creates economic instability, while the “Dutch Disease” causes the manufacturing sector to wither as the currency appreciates due to resource exports. These economic distortions, combined with a lack of transparency, create a “honey pot” effect where various domestic and external factions compete violently for control of the state apparatus to capture resource rents.
Lessons Learned for Pakistan to Better Harness its Natural Resources
Therefore, it is imperative to dissect the specific structural failures that allow geological wealth to mutate into social and political fragmentation. The transition from a resource-dependent economy to a stable, developed state is not a product of chance but of deliberate institutional engineering. For Pakistan, a country currently standing at a crossroads of economic insolvency and untapped mineral potential, the lessons derived from global “resource wars” and successful transitions are not merely academic—they are existential. The “way forward” requires a departure from the historical ad-hocism that has characterized the management of the Saindak Copper-Gold project or the initial handling of the Thar Coal reserves, moving instead toward a sophisticated framework of governance that preempts conflict through equity and foresight.
- Institutional Strengthening more than resources through ensured Transparency and Accountability like Norway
The primary lesson for Pakistan is that institutional strength must precede resource extraction. In nations where institutions are weak, the sudden influx of resource wealth acts as a “resource bribe,” allowing the state to ignore the need for a broad-based tax net and public accountability. To counter this, Pakistan must look toward the Norwegian Model of the Government Pension Fund Global, which de-links current government spending from volatile oil revenues. By treating resource wealth as a capital endowment for future generations rather than a checking account for the current fiscal year, Norway avoided the inflationary pressures of Dutch Disease and ensured long-term stability. Pakistan needs to establish a centralized National Resource Fund governed by an autonomous body, ensuring that the $6 trillion mineral worth is not liquidated to pay off circular debt but is instead reinvested into high-yield human capital development and industrial diversification.
- Inclusive Revenue Sharing through Effective Implementation of Article 172(3) to prevent Insurgency
Furthermore, the internal stability of Pakistan is inextricably linked to the perception of fairness in resource distribution. The history of insurgency in Balochistan is a testament to the failure of the “trickle-down” promise. To rectify this, the state must move beyond rhetorical adherence to the 18th Amendment and ensure the literal and effective implementation of Article 172(3). This constitutional provision grants provinces a 50% share in oil and gas found within their territory. However, “ownership” must translate into tangible local development. The way forward involves a “Local Content Requirement” policy, where international firms like Barrick Gold or any future investors in the Tethyan Belt are legally mandated to hire a significant percentage of the local workforce and invest in local vocational training centers. Conflict is neutralized when the local youth see themselves as stakeholders in the machinery of extraction rather than sidelined observers of their own land’s depletion.
- Strategic Autonomy in Global Competition through Strategic Hedging Policy like Saudi Vision 2030
Strategic autonomy in the face of global power competition is another critical pillar for Pakistan’s future. The case of Taiwan and the US-China rivalry over semiconductors illustrates that being a “strategic asset” can be a double-edged sword. As Pakistan invites investment for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and simultaneously seeks Western engagement for its mining sector, it must avoid becoming a theater for a “New Cold War.” The proposed way forward is a policy of Strategic Hedging, akin to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which utilizes resource wealth to build a multi-polar diplomatic portfolio. Pakistan should leverage its minerals—particularly those critical to the green energy transition like copper—to negotiate favorable terms with both Eastern and Western blocs, ensuring that its resource security is backed by a “Balance of Interests” rather than a subservient alliance with a single hegemon.
- Resource Security with Economic and Military Coordination to Ensure Balance of Threat
Moreover, the intersection of military and economic coordination must be refined to ensure a “Balance of Threat” and “Resource Security.” While the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) has been established to provide a “one-window” operation for foreign investors, its success depends on its ability to integrate security with social buy-in. Military protection of mining sites is a short-term necessity in volatile regions, but long-term security is only achievable through “Economic Integration.” The way forward involves the creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) directly adjacent to extraction sites, ensuring that the value-addition process—smelting, refining, and manufacturing—happens within the province of origin. This creates a “security-development nexus” where the local population has a vested interest in protecting the infrastructure that provides their livelihood.
- A Trained Specialized Negotiator team as ‘Negotiation is an art” to save from blunders like Rik-o-Diq and Barick Gold Contract
The technical and legal dimensions of resource management have historically been a “blind spot” for the Pakistani state, leading to catastrophic financial losses in international courts. The Reko Diq case, which resulted in a $5.8 billion penalty by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), serves as a grim reminder that “negotiation is an art” that requires specialized expertise. The way forward must include the creation of a Permanent Bureau of International Resource Negotiations, staffed not by career bureaucrats but by international law experts, specialized geologists, and financial analysts. This team would ensure that future contracts—such as those involving the Chagai district’s minerals or offshore drilling—are shielded from the pitfalls of “vague clauses” and “sovereign guarantees” that predatory corporations exploit. A nation that cannot defend its resources in a courtroom will eventually lose them on the ground.
- Revitalization of diplomatic efforts regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) through International Mediation
In addressing the inter-state dimension of the resource curse, particularly hydro-politics, Pakistan must revitalize its diplomatic efforts regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). As climate change depletes the Himalayan glaciers, the competition for water with India will intensify. The way forward is “Data-Driven Diplomacy.” Pakistan must invest in advanced satellite monitoring and hydrological modeling to present empirical evidence of water diversion or storage violations in international forums like the World Bank-mediated arbitration. By framing water security as a regional ecological challenge rather than just a bilateral military issue, Pakistan can garner international support for sustainable water management in the Indus Basin.
Conclusion
To conclude, the statement that natural resources can become a source of instability is a historical reality, but it is not a geographic destiny. The resource curse is essentially a governance curse. For Pakistan, the path to becoming a stable, resource-rich power lies in the transition from an extractive mindset to a developmental one. By strengthening institutions, ensuring provincial equity through Article 172(3), mastering the art of international negotiation, and maintaining strategic autonomy, Pakistan can turn its geological wealth from a catalyst of conflict into a cornerstone of national resilience. The $6 trillion under the soil is a dormant giant; whether it wakes up to serve the nation or to tear it apart depends entirely on the wisdom of the policies enacted today.
CSS 2026 Solved Current Affairs
| 2- | “Pakistan Stands at a Decisive Turning Point Where Climate Shocks, Rapid Population Growth, Governance Gaps, Non-Traditional Security Threats, and Intense Fiscal Stress Are Converging to Heighten National Vulnerability.” Critically Evaluate the Above Statement and Propose Policy Measures for Building A Stable, Secure, and Disaster-Resilient Pakistan. |
| 3- | “Brain drain threatens Pakistan’s ability to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030”. Write a comprehensive note on the causes and consequences of brain drain from Pakistan, focusing on its impact on achieving SDGs (you may choose any three SDGs for answering this question). |
| 4- | Critically Appraise the Following Statement with Relevant Examples. Furthermore, Draw Relevant Lessons and Propose a Way Forward for Pakistan. “Natural Resources, Though Desirable for the Development of a Country, Can Become a Source of Conflict and Instability.” |
| 5- | Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), once called “force multipliers”, are now having trust issues as public skepticism about the virtues and advantages of NGOs has dropped. Critically examine why NGOs’ space is shrinking in many parts of the world, with specific reference to Pakistan. |
| 6- | COP – the annual climate negotiation, Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is organized every year since 1995. What are the significant achievements of COPs in general and COP-30 in particular |
| 7- | Conduct a critical analysis of the prospects of resolution of the Palestinian conflict with special reference to the UN Security Council’s recently approved US-drafted resolution for peace in Gaza. Can Pakistan play any role in this initiative? |
| 8- | Write short notes on any TWO of the following: (i) Pros and cons of food production through Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) (ii) Implications of depopulation (iii) Role of China in evolving world order |
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