Can India stop all water flow to Pakistan?

[Shahzaz ud din]

. Can India stop all water flow to Pakistan?

Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for water resources and transport, has said the government “has decided to stop our share of water which used to flow to Pakistan. We will divert water from Eastern rivers and supply it to our people in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab”. On Friday he said India is also considering to stop Pakistan’s share of water. So can India cut off all sources of water to Pakistan, and what would be the legal standing of such a decision?

• Not all: India and Pakistan have been sharing water under a decades-old treaty called the Indus Water Treaty — mediated by the World Bank after frequent disputes. The need arose as the Indus River system, which is Pakistan’s biggest source of water by a mile, flows from India. The Indus system comprises the Indus river and its tributaries. Under the treaty, India was allocated the waters of three tributaries in the east — the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi — and the waters of Chenab, Jhelum and Indus to Pakistan. That gives India nearly 20% of the 168 million acre-feet of water in the Indus river system or nearly 33 million acre-feet. But India uses only around 93% of it.

• Not new: Why wasn’t India using its share of water? The answer perhaps lies in the slow pace of progress in the construction of three dams: the Shahpur Kandi dam project, a second Sutlej-Beas link in Punjab and the Ujh Dam project in Jammu and Kashmir. After the 2016 terror attack on the army base in Uri in J&K, India decided to fast-trackthe work on these dams.

• India’s prerogative: The decision to withhold this water for use in J&K and Punjab is well within India’s right. This was underlined by Pakistan’s ministry of water resources as well, who said: “We have neither concern nor objection if India diverts water of eastern rivers and supplies it to its people or uses it for other purposes, as the IWT allows it do so.” But stopping or reducing the flow of water from Indus, Chenab and Jhelum — which Gadkari has not ruled out — would be another matter as that would mean breaking a treaty. It would also be against the principles of the 1997 United Nations Convention on Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses, which calls on “equitable and reasonable use” and “the obligation not to cause significant harm” to neighbours. Note: Indus and also Brahmaputra originate from Tibet, which is under China’s control.

• A pinch nevertheless: But it is not that restrictions on eastern tributaries will not pinch Pakistan. Over 75% of agriculture in Pakistan is sustained by irrigation. And the unused water by India has been contributing to this. India and Pak have for long been bickering over IWT and there is significant pressure on Islamabad from the farmers. Remember Imran Khan’s attempt to crowdsource a dam in Pak-occupied Kashmir? Clearly, water is precious — whether it is flowing in as per a treaty or for free — and a shortfall pinches.

 

[Type59]

The indus River, very difficult to divert water. Tunneling through hundreds of miles of mountains.

Only river that is possible is chenab, but still will take decades of work. Building storage dams will displace alot of people, but Delhi does not care for Kashmiris. So possible.

 

[Kaniska]

I am just responding to Pakistan posters who want a rational debate...Too tired to see the nuances of chest biting post from both sides...

Nitish Gadkari's statement is about diverting water that is under Indian share....i still beleive in the sense of rationality and humanity for which we are proud of.... Stopping water that is under the right of Pakistan will be one of the most inhuman and pathetic approch that any of our Gov should think of now or in future..

So his statement is hyped of by againt lunatics from my side and responded by same kind of people of Pakistan too...I hope sanity prevail from both end where people understand the rationality of the statement prior to reacting to it.

 

[Yaseen1]

It is impossible to stop all water you cannot play with nature

 

[khansaheeb]

I am just responding to Pakistan posters who want a rational debate...Too tired to see the nuances of chest biting post from both sides...

Nitish Gadkari's statement is about diverting water that is under Indian share....i still beleive in the sense of rationality and humanity for which we are proud of.... Stopping water that is under the right of Pakistan will be one of the most inhuman and pathetic approch that any of our Gov should think of now or in future..

So his statement is hyped of by againt lunatics from my side and responded by same kind of people of Pakistan too...I hope sanity prevail from both end where people understand the rationality of the statement prior to reacting to it.

Stopping water will be an act of war. Do you really believe we will let you do it? India will definitely lose Kashmir even if you have 10 million soldiers there. Also it will set a precedence that will give China the green light to stop water flowing to India. On another note as the water flows through Kashmir, which is illegally occupied by India,the water does not belong to India and India should be paying dues to the Kashmiris for the water.

 

[HAIDER]

Stealing water and killing innocent bring curse on nations. Every drop of stolen water counts ..

 

[艹艹艹]

I think that India as a superpower shouldn't use water resources to threaten Pakistan, It would be bad for India's image as a superpower.

A coward behavior

Also it will set a precedence that will give China the green light to stop water flowing to India.

I don't think China will do this because it is very inhumane

China is not India

India may do this but China will not

 

[khansaheeb]

I think that India as a superpower shouldn't use water resources to threaten Pakistan, It would be bad for India's image as a superpower.

A coward behavior


I don't think China will do this because it is very inhumane

China is not India

India may do this but China will not

Unfortunately it is in their blood.