Violations of Indus Water Treaty By Muhammad Jamil

Pakistan is facing acute shortage of water due to India’s river water diversion plan, which has adversely impacted the farmers and made it difficult for them to keep their body and soul together. The Pakistan Muttahida Kisan Mahaz (MKM) has criticised the government’s silence over Chenab River water ‘piracy’ by India.

The Mahaz president said: “Under the Indus Water Basin Treaty, India is required to release 16,000 cusec Chenab water to Pakistan whereas water flow at Head Marala has been reduced to only 5,000 cusec as a result of construction of Baglihar Dam in Occupied Kashmir. Drastic fall in Chenab water flow had resulted in closure of Marala Ravi Link, Upper Chenab and BRB canals which met 75 percent canal water requirement of Punjab”. The closure of three canals has created an acute shortage of water for Rabi crop, and wheat production is likely to fall drastically in Punjab. According to the Teaty, India could not use Chenab water, as it could affect the quantity or flow of the river. And it goes without saying that by making the reservoir, the flow of water will definitely be affected.

On January 2, 2010, responding to media queries after a seminar on ‘Improvement in power sector’ held under the auspices of Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers of Pakistan, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali said that Pakistan might seek international arbitration on the water issue or take up it with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), if Pakistan finds India not sincere and serious enough in resolving the issue. The government functionaries and advisors have the habit of issuing warnings that they will take up the matter with the World Bank or ICJ. Sardar Assef blamed the previous govt for procrastination but the present ruling and opposition parties are involved in internecine conflict and meanwhile India may complete Kishanganga project. In 2008, Pakistan suffered a loss exceeding five billion rupees in paddy crop production only in the wake of water shortage after India stopped Chenab water to fill the Baglihar Dam in September.

On April 1, 1948, India had stemmed the flow of tributaries to Pakistan and discontinued water to the Dipalpur canal and main branches of Upper Bari Doab Canal. Pakistan wanted an equitable allocation of the flow of Indus River and its tributaries. Negotiations had started from 1951, and the treaty was signed in 1960 that gave Pakistan the right to receive unrestricted flow of the western rivers, and it was obligatory on the part of India to allow the flow of water unimpeded with minor exceptions. It was provided in the treaty that in case of a dispute, the World Bank would appoint a ‘neutral expert’ whose decision would be final. Anyhow, Pakistan had taken the issue of Baglihar Dam with the UN, and verdict was given by the neutral expert suggesting amendments. Had India taken Pakistan’s objections to the project seriously and not tried to ride roughshod intransigently, both would have avoided the embarrassment of facing a neutral expert to adjudicate their dispute.

In the past, there have been wars between the countries over religions, usurpation of territories and control of resources including oil, but in view of acute shortages of water in Africa, Middle East, Asia and elsewhere, the future wars could be fought over water. In addition to Kashmir dispute, the Indus River Basin has been an area of conflict between India and Pakistan for about four decades. Spanning 1,800 miles, the river and its tributaries together make up one of the largest irrigation canals in the world. Dams and canals built in order to provide hydropower and irrigation have dried up stretches of the Indus River. The division of the river basin water has created friction among the countries of South Asia, and among their states and provinces. Accusations of overdrawing of share of water made by each province have resulted in the lack of water supplies to coastal regions of Pakistan. India and Bangladesh have also dispute over Ganges River water and is resorting to water theft there as well.

Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh are victims of India’s water thievery. India has dispute with Bangladesh over Farrakha Barrage, with Nepal over Mahakali River and with Pakistan over 1960 Indus Treaty. India is busy building dams on all rivers flowing into Pakistan from Occupied Kashmir to regain control of water of western rivers in violation of the Indus Treaty. This is being done under well thought-out strategy to render Pakistan’s link-canal system redundant, destroy agriculture of Pakistan which is its mainstay and turn Pakistan into a desert. India has plans to construct 62 dams/hydro-electric units on Rivers Chenab and Jhelum thus enabling it to render these rivers dry by 2014. Using its clout in Afghanistan, India has succeeded in convincing Karzai regime to build a dam on River Kabul and set up Kama Hydroelectric Project using 0.5MAF of Pakistan water. It has offered technical assistance for the proposed project, which will have serious repercussions on the water flow in River Indus.

Pakistan, indeed, needs large reservoirs to meet the growing food requirements of ever-increasing population, whereas for the last three decades none of the govts has been able to evolve a national consensus on construction of Kalabagh dam. Today, agricultural sector contributes 24pc to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP); two-third of population living in rural areas depends on it; absorbs more than 50pc of the labour force and provides the base for 75pc of exports in the form of raw materials and value-added products. There is realization in all the provinces that water shortages can lead to food shortages and also rifts between the provinces. But the issue had been politicized for the last 30 years and genuine efforts were not made by the govts and leaders to resolve the contradictions by showing sense of accommodation and understanding of one another’s problems. However, consensus has reached on Bhasha Dam, and now every effort should be made to expedite construction of this project. One does not have to be an agricultural scientist to know that water is indispensable to agriculture. It is a critical input into agriculture of a country especially when it is situated in an arid or semi-arid zone. Having all said, if Bhasha dam is not constructed within next five to 10 years, Pakistan will not be able to produce enough food grains to meet the needs of the growing population. Loss of storage capacity due to sedimentation is causing serious drop even for existing agricultural production. Food shortages and energy shortfall has already blighted Pakistan with the result that industry in all the provinces is coming to grinding halt. Previous govt had not risen to the occasion and did not take up the matter with the ICJ. The present govt and opposition parties seem to be too preoccupied with their power-sharing or power-grabbing plans and do not have time to focus on the problems faced by the people. It is in this backdrop that Muttehida Kisan Mahaz has blamed the govt for its apathy to their problems.

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