Biography

Fazilda Nabeel is a Doctoral Researcher in Development Studies at the University of Sussex (UK). Her primary research interests focus on the political ecology of water resource governance in the Indus Basin. Fazilda’s doctoral research, funded by Economic and Social Research Council (UK), analyses the nature and underlying causes of problem of groundwater (non) governance in the Indus Basin of Pakistan, particularly the marginalisation of groundwater governance in comparison to the technical, legal, institutional development of surface water. Her research takes a historical approach to study the mutually constitutive relation between groundwater and society, with a key focus on the role of the state and technology. Her fieldwork on local governance of municipal, industrial and agricultural water use in the Sheikhupura district of Punjab explores the effect of deteriorating groundwater quality and diminishing quantity on farmer livelihoods from a water justice perspective.   Fazilda has served on the Committee for Water Resource Management Law and Justice Commission, Surpreme Court of Pakistan in 2018. She was also selected as a Lead Pakistan Fellow on Transboundary Water Resources South Asia (2014) and underwent training at the Water Diplomacy Workshop Harvard Law School (2015). Fazilda has consulted for the STEPS Centre at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) UK, UNDP Pakistan, Punjab Government and Lead Pakistan on a breadth of policy areas including groundwater governance, hydro-diplomacy on the Indus and on the Kabul River Basin.

Qualifications

EDUCATION

Doctor of Philosophy, International Development                                                                             

University of Sussex                                                                                                                    2015 - 2020

Thesis: Political Ecology of Groundwater Governance in Pakistan’s Punjab

                                     

Master of Science, Public Policy    

Brown University USA                                                                                                                 2008 - 2009       

                       

Master of Science, Economics

Lahore University of Management Sciences                                                                                     2007 - 2008

 

Bachelor of Science, Economics                            

Lahore University of Management Sciences                                                                                     2002 - 2006                                                                       

 

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

 

Doctoral Tutor, Development Studies                                                                                              2020-2021

University of Sussex, UK

Courses Taught: Global Development Challenges and Perspectives

 

Assistant Professor, Department of Economics                                                                                  2014-2015

Formal Christian College, Lahore

• Courses Taught: Introduction to Development Studies, Development Theory and Policy,

Issues in Pakistan Economy, Intermediate Microeconomics.

 

Teaching Fellow, Department of Economics and Department of Social Sciences                                      2009-2014

Lahore School of Economics (LSE), Lahore

• Courses Taught: Introduction to Microeconomics, International Political Economy, Public Economics,

International Relations, Issues in Pakistan Economy.

 

 

PROFESSIONAL AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

 

Short Term Consultant, Lead Pakistan                                                                                             2020

• Research Consultant for Water Beyond Boundaries, Leading Perspectives on Pakistan’s Shared Water Resources (USAID PEER Project)

 

Short Term Consultant, Punjab Disaster Management Authority, Government of Punjab                           2017-2018

• Consultant for PDMA working on implementation for Disaster and Climate Resilience Improvement Project (DCRYP), drafting Annual Progress Report, negotiating future projects with development partners.

 

Visiting Doctoral Researcher, Centre for Water Informatics and Technology, LUMS                               2016 - 2017

• Visiting Doctoral Researcher engaged in organizing and conducting capacity building workshops and conferences in water science, policy and governance.

 

Short Term Consultant, Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex          June 2016 - December 2016

• Consultant responsible for research on policies and programs for and mapping of key stakeholders in Mangrove afforestation, reforestation and restoration in Kutch, Gujarat, India.

 

Short Term Consultant, UNDP Pakistan                                                                        December 2016 – March 2017

• Co-author for ‘Education as Opportunity for All’ Chapter in State of the Youth Report 2017, UNDP Pakistan

 

Pakistan Fellow on Transboundary Water Resources, LEAD Pakistan                                                   2014-2015

• Training in Transboundary Water Resource Governance with Leading Water Experts in Pakistan. Working Paper for Lead Pakistan on ‘Groundwater Challenges, Opportunities and Governance in Pakistan’s Indus Basin’.

 

Senior Research Analyst, Mahbub-ul-Haq Human Development Center                                               2011- 2015

• Consultant and Senior Research Analyst, responsible for background research, drafting of chapters, and editing of South Asian Human Development Reports.

 

Research Associate, International Growth Center (IGC)                                                    April 2011 to December 2011

• Research on the political economy of distribution of flood rehabilitation and relief in 11 districts of Punjab.

 

Research Associate, Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council (RIPEC)                                    January 2009 to May 2009

• Conducting research and writing a feasibility report for the consolidation of three school districts in Rhode Island. Report will be made available on request.

                                                           

PUBLICATIONS AND WORKING PAPERS

 

Nabeel, F. (2021). Groundwater crisis: a crisi of governance? In M. A. Watto, M. Mitchell, & S. Bashir (Eds.), Water resources of Pakistan: issues and impacts (pp. 185-208). Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65679-9_10

Nabeel, F., & Cheema, M. J. M. (2021). Pakistan’s transboundary water challenge. In M. A. Watto, M. Mitchell, & S. Bashir (Eds.), Water resources of Pakistan: issues and impacts (pp. 37-55). Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65679-9_3

Nabeel, F., Soomro, K, Memon, S., & Khan, Z.A. 2016.‘Groundwater Challenges, Opportunities and Governance in Pakistan’s Indus Basin’. Lead Pakistan Working Paper.

Chapter 3 ‘Education for Human Development of Youth in Pakistan’ in Pakistan National Human Development Report 2017, UNDP.

Chapter 5 ‘Education for All in South Asia’ in Human Development in South Asia 2015: The Economy and the People, Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Center, 2015.

Chapter 4 ‘Urban Challenges and Socioeconomic Disparities’ in Human Development in South Asia 2014: Urbanization Challenges and Opportunities, Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Center, 2014.

Theresa Thompson Chaudhry & Fazilda Nabeel, 2013. "Microinsurance in Pakistan: Progress, Problems, and Prospects," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 18 (Special E), pages 335-374, September 2013.

Chapter 5 ‘Transboundary Water Resource Management in South Asia’ in Human Development in South Asia 2013: Water for Human Development, Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Center, 2013.

Chapter 4 ‘Empowering People with Health and Education in Pakistan’ in Human Development in South Asia 2012: Governance for People’s Empowerment, Mahbub ul Haq Human Development Centre, 2012.

 

 

CONFERENCE PAPER PRESENTATIONS

 

Nabeel, Fazilda. 2018. ‘The Place of Groundwater in the making of a colonial Hydrology: Punjab in the 19th and 20th Century’ Paper Presented at the Dimensions of Political Conference at University of Kentucky, USA. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/819ace_9042df6122384cd887768b5990a1d7a0.pdf

Nabeel, Fazilda, 2018.  ‘Farmer Adaptations to Groundwater Degradation in Pakistan's Punjab: Internalising Water Injustice?’ Paper presented at the Development Studies Association Conference at University of Manchester, UK. https://nomadit.co.uk/dsa/dsa2018/conferencesuite.php/panels/6366

Nabeel, Fazilda, 2015. ‘Challenges to the Indus Regime’, Case Paper Presentation at Water Diplomacy Workshop, Harvard Law         School, Massachusetts, USA.

 

 

WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES ORGANIZED

 

GCRF/UKRI Global Development Workshop on ‘Clean Water and Affordable Energy’, UK- Pakistan Science and Innovation Global Network, March 10-11 2020, Marriot Hotel, Islamabad. Press Release Available at: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/626768-upsign-network-ukri-to-organise-global-development-workshops

 

Spring School on ‘Water Informatics: Science and Systems’ Centre for Water Informatics an Technology, Lahore University of Management Sciences. May 20^th-23^rd, 2017. Event Report Available at: https://wit.lums.edu.pk/events/summer-school-‘water-informatics-science-and-systems’

 

International Symposium on ‘History and Future of the Indus Basin’, Centre for Water Informatics an Technology, Lahore University of Management Sciences. January 29^th, 2017. Event Report Available at:  https://wit.lums.edu.pk/events/wit-lums-presents-international-symposium-history-and-future-indus-basin

 

Fall School on ‘Water Science Policy and Governance’, Centre for Water Informatics an Technology, Lahore University of Management Sciences. November 7-9, 2016. Event Report Available at:  https://wit.lums.edu.pk/events/wit-fall-school-water-science-policy-and-governance

 

Workshop on ‘Environmental History and Politics of South Asia’ at the Centre for World Environmental History at Sussex University. May 10, 2016. Event Report Available at:

https://www.sussex.ac.uk/webteam/gateway/file.php?name=report-on-environmental-history-and-politics-of-south-asia-workshop.pdf&site=253

 

 

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH

 

Nabeel, Fazilda, 2020. Pakistan’s Water Challenge. Talk at GCRF/UKRI Clean Water and Affordable Energy Workshop, Marriot Hotel, Islamabad, March 11, 2020.

Nabeel, Fazilda, 2018. ‘Groundwater Apathy in Pakistan’s Punjab’. Talk at the International Symposium on Creating a Water-Secure Pakistan, Law and Justice Commission, Supreme Court of Pakistan. Islamabad, October 20, 2018.

Nabeel, Fazilda, 2018. ‘Groundwater Apathy in the Indus Basin of Pakistan’. Managing Shared Basin Series, Lead Pakistan August 9. 2018, Islamabad.

Nabeel.Fazilda, 2017. ‘Water Governance in Pakistan:  Legal, Institutional and Local Dimensions of Groundwater Non governance’, WWF Pakistan National Workshop On Raising awareness and capacity of civil society on transboundary water governance in India and Pakistan. Islamabad, May 24, 2017.

Nabeel.Fazilda, 2016. ‘Marginalisation of Groundwater Governance in the Indus Basin of Pakistan’. Paper presented at Pakistan The Long View: 2047 hosted by Centre for Public Policy and Governance FC College and Wilson Chair in Pakistan Studies at University of Texas Austin. December 2, 2016.

Nabeel.Fazilda, 2016. ‘Water Conflicts and Water Diplomacy’. Case Simulation and Talk at the Fall School on Water Science, Policy and Governance. October 7th, 2016. Lahore University of Management Sciences.

 

 

HONOURS AND AWARDS

 

• Executive Committee Member and Co-Lead for Clean Water and Sanitation (2018-2020), UK-Pakistan Science and Innovation Global Network. www.upsign.org.uk.
• Committee on Water Resource Management Law and Justice Commission (2018), Surpreme Court of Pakistan.
• Economic and Social Research Council UK Grant for Research on ‘Political Ecology of Groundwater (Non) Governance in the Indus Basin of Pakistan’ (2015-2018).
• Lead Pakistan Fellow (2014-2015), Leadership Development Program on Transboundary Water Resources South Asia.
• Sheridan Center for Teaching 2008-2009, Teaching Certificate Award, Brown University.
• Fulbright Scholar 2008-2009
• Gold Medalist, Taubman Center for Public Policy, Brown University 2008-2009 (CGPA:4.0)

 

Activities