Pakistan And India-Water Disputes-News And Updates

[Chaluboy]

gosh this is just too much to read, can someone put a brief analysis

 

[ice_man]

this is SHAMEFUL!!!!!! OUR GOVERNMENT IS CURRENTLY SLEEPING THROUGH THIS PROJECT OF INDIA!!!!! soon pakistan will be left bone dry!!!

ZARDARI FIDDLED WHILE PAKISTAN DRIED

HE IS PAKISTAN's VERY OWN NERO!!

 

[hillman32]

India to forget about Chine that is building Dam on Indus !!

How about India trying to build a tunnel to steal water from Indus ?

 

[ajtr]

According to Para 11 of Ann F

The decision of the Neutral Expert on all matters within his competence shall be final and binding, in respect of the particular matter on which the decision is made , upon the Parties and upon any Court of Arbitration established under the provisions of Article IX (5) .

The decision of NE is final and binding on the parties and the COA. Now the question would be " the particular matter" means project or the specific questions having generic import. Baglihar Award of NE answers many technical questions and decisions are generic in nature though its import is applied to Baglihar Dam to make specific determinations. NE Award on Baglihar weakens the case of Pakistan on technical differences. In fact the dam design itself includes provisioning of release of some amount of water below downstream to maintain natural channel.

As regards drawdown flushing for silt management, gated spillway , height of dam , intake level etc are normally the domain of NE. Mr Iyer hints that Pakistan is refering differences to NE. However, I did not find reference to it. May be COA would take up these matter upon agreement by both parties and treat it as dispute.

Pakistan has provisionally set aside $ 10 M for COA. If India does not provide equal fund, Pakistan may have to shell out another $10 M . Its not a big amount for GOI. So the costly affair would not be so costly if the benefit of decision is taken into account.

Anticipated timeframe would be two years, going by Baglihar benchmark and the fact that both legal members nominated between Pakistan and India have two years in ICJ (though not so relevant indicator)

General legal understanding of " Existing Use" would mean, existing use on effective date. Here effective date is the date of notification of the project to PIC. And it also means that it must be in use, i.e. if there is hydro electric plant on the river, then it should be in operation. If there are agricultural use than it must be in existence on the ground and not on paper.

If there are any such use than the question of adverse impact would arise(but not before). The kishanganga dam would reduce water flow by 11 % only ( not 30% as in the article) which is not a major diversion. NHPC has provision of 150 cusec release (TOI report cited earlier) of water , without impacting hydro electric power generation 330 MWe ( 110 x 3). So that will take care of ecology concerns and maintain natural channel .

The project is scheduled to be completed by 2016. Due to COA proceedings , it would get completed by 2018 unless NHPC delays or fund crunch is there or Interim order of COA prevents any work on the project until its decision.

The main point of determination would be diversion of water to another tributary after it is released from hydroelectric plant.
According to Para 15(iii) of Ann D

"where a Plant is located on a Tributary of The Jhelum on which Pakistan has any Agricultural Use or hydro-electric use, the water released below the Plant may be delivered, if necessary, into another Tributary but only to the extent that the then existing Agricultural Use or hydro-electric use by Pakistan on the former Tributary would not be adversely affected ."

So the point is in favour of India only.

As pointed out earlier, Arbitration is quasi judicial proceedings, the outcome would be hazardous to predict, though major decision would be in favor of India ,going by the historical perspective.

I believe that there is not point in negotiating with Pakistan , which had been already tried . India would concede much in negotiations in big neighbourly spirit. If the matter is left to cold calculating logic of experts it would be better. Time and cost may not be much of an issue. COA is the last step for Pakistan to test the workings of IWT and see if it is able to fool legal eagles and best technical minds.

If Pakistan fails here, as I anticipate it would by a wide margin, there would be clamour for abrogation of treaty.

 

[Ammyy]

self deleted

 

[Hutchroy]

India not accused of stealing water: Jamaat

Sunday, June 27, 2010
By our correspondent

LAHORE: Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah has said that we have not accused India of stealing water and the present low inflow in the rivers is due to climate change.

Addressing a seminar, titled “Indus Water Treaty Future Implications”, organised by the Punjab University’s Society of International Law at the New Campus here on Saturday and later talking to reporters, Shah said Pakistan had not lost the case of the Baglihar Dam, “instead our reservations had been accepted”.

Shah said they had raised objections on the construction of dams by India on the Indus River. Pakistan had raised reservations about the construction of Chutak and Nimoo Bazgo projects, he said, adding that India had accepted the objections against Chutak but did not accept the objections on Nimoo Bazgo. Pakistan reserved the right to go for arbitration against the Indian violations, he maintained.

Shah elaborated in detail the projects under construction on the western rivers. He also discussed the causes of impending water crisis in the country and its implications. Prominent lawyer Hamid Khan explained the circumstances leading to the conclusion of the Indus Water Treaty and elucidated that the defects of the treaty were proving a disaster for the country 50 years down the road.

The seminar was presided over by Justice (retd) Ali Nawaz Chohan. Raja Zulqarnain and Anwer Kamal shared their views on the subjects. The LLM students of international law presented their papers on the subject.

The speakers said Pakistan was facing a drought-like situation, adding that if timely measures were not taken, the situation could become worse. Some speakers also expressed concerns over some conditions of the Indus Waters Treaty.

 

[ajtr]

^^Aila!!! for 6 months khoda pahar nikali chuhiya.

 

[karan.1970]

^^Aila!!! for 6 months khoda pahar nikali chuhiya.

looks like woh bhi mari hui ..

 

[ajtr]

World Bank refuses to fund Diamer-Bhasha Dam​

* WAPDA official tells NA committee India raised objections on Gilgit-Baltistan status
* Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal closed due to differences among provinces: IRSA

By Zeeshan Javaid

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has refused to fund the Diamer-Bhasha Dam due to, what they claim, is the controversial legal status of Gilgit-Baltistan territory.

The revelation was made by Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) official who was briefing the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter-Provisional Coordination on Friday.

The committee meeting was chaired by Mir Ahmedan Khan Bugti and discussed existing water sources and proposals for building new dams.

Briefing the committee about the status of the Diamer-Bhasha project, the WAPDA official informed the committee that due to objections raised by India over the legal reforms introduced in Gilgit-Baltistan, the World Bank had refused to finance the project.

The committee was further informed that over $30 to 40 billion would be required in the next 15 years to build dams in the country for generating electricity and for increasing water storage capacity.

“The bank’s refusal to provide funds has virtually endangered the practicability of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam on whose feasibility and technical reports huge amounts have already been spent since 2006,” sources privy to a high-level meeting later told Daily Times.

“The total cost of the Diamer-Bhasha dam is $12.6 billion (according to estimates in 2008) and it will have a storage capacity of 6.3 million acre feet of water. It will have a power generation capacity of 4,500 megawatts,” the sources said.

IRSA: Shafqat Masood, the Indus River System Regulatory Authority (IRSA) acting chairman, briefed the committee about the differences between Punjab and Sindh over Indus water distribution.

He told the committee members that the Chashma-Jhelum Link Canal had not yet been opened due to objections raised by provinces. However, he said IRSA had increased the water share of Sindh to 190,000 cusecs.

 

[ajtr]

Consultation on climate change impact on Indus Basin​

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An international expert consultation on climate change impact on Cryosphere of the Indus Basin and its implications on future water scenario has begun here at headquarter of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Nepali capital Kathmandu on Friday. An expert consultation organized by ICIMOD has brought together international as well as regional researchers from different disciplines and geographic region. Workshop will discuss over the establishment of an “Indus River Basin Initiative” to coordinate collaboration between different institutions and organisations.

The Indus River Basin will collect and analyse recent and ongoing research interventions and approaches. It will also provide platform for sharing knowledge gained from this analysis as well as for sharing current state-of-the-art approaches and interventions planned for future work on climate change and water resource management in the Indus River Basin, according to ICIMOD.

During the workshop, presentations and discussions will focus on study design and methodologies used in field work, modelling, and scenario analysis. The Indus River Basin is one of the most sensitive basins to impacts of climate change on water supplies and loss of livelihoods. Runoff is generated predominantly by melting snow and ice, and a large number of economic activities and human lives in the basin.

The Indus Basin covers an area of about 1,140,000 sq. km. A large part of the upper basin lies within the Hindu Kush, Karakorum,and Himalayan mountains. Afghanistan, China, India and Pakistan share the basin territory, according to ICIMOD. — Xinhua

---------- Post added at 06:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:44 PM ----------

 

[ajtr]

Talks for Kishanganga arbitration court on July 6​

By Khaleeq Kiani
Saturday, 03 Jul, 2010

ISLAMABAD, July 2: Amid a controversy over the legal team to represent Islamabad, Pakistan and India will meet in New Delhi on Tuesday (July 6) to finalise a Court of Arbitration (COA) for adjudication of the Kishanganga hydropower project, being built by India on Neelum river in violation of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

Informed sources told Dawn on Friday that the two countries had nominated two arbitrators each on the seven-member court. Pakistan and India are now required to suggest names of three independent arbitrators to complete the court. This will set the stage for the COA to take up Pakistans complaint against Indias decision to construct a 330-mw storage project through diversion of Neelum river.

Under the treaty, the three independent arbitrators must be experts in water disputes, engineering and law. They should be members of either the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the World Bank or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US).

In case of a disagreement on names, the three independent members are to be selected through a secret draw.

Pakistan has nominated Bruno Simma, a German jurist currently working with the ICJ, and Jan Paulson, a Norwegian from an international law firm as its arbitrators.

India has nominated Peter Tomka, a Slovak national currently working as vice-president of the International court of Justice, and Lucius Caflish, a professor at the Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva.

Sources said the ministries of water & power and law were still in disagreement over composition of the team to plead Pakistans case.

According to the sources, a consultant to the law ministry wanted to have complete control over the litigation against India and opposed retention of Pakistans legal team even though the prime minister had given his approval twice. The team is to be headed by Prof James Crawford while the other members are Barrister Samuel Wordsworth and Feisal Naqvi.

These sources said work on the preparation of a brief for COA had come to a halt following the law ministry’s decision to terminate the services of Feisal Naqvi, who was required to draft Pakistans case for vetting and approval by James Crawford.

They said the ministry of water and power, Pakistans commissioner for Indus Commission and relevant agencies of the armed forces had asked Mr Naqvi to continue with the job because they thought he was familiar with the case because of his long association with the Kishanganga project and his experience in the Baglihar case with India.

A young Supreme Court advocate, Mr Naqvi has been ranked among the top lawyers in Pakistan by the Chambers International for the past four years. He has represented Pakistan in a number of UN-related matters.

The three stakeholders believed that were Feisel Naqvi not allowed to assist Mr Crawford, they would need at least six months to train a fresh lawyer who can digest legal intricacies of the matter and then assist any foreign jurist to plead Pakistans case before the COA.

“The time is of real essence and any delay will help only India,” an official of the water and power ministry said.

Pakistan is opposed to the Kishanganga project because its diversion will reduce by 16 per cent the power generation capacity of the 969-MW Neelum-Jhelum power project on the same river downstream Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir.

The project will cause a loss of energy worth Rs6 billion every year.

Moreover, the diversion will reduce river flows near the Line of Control, on the Pakistan side, for at least six months and cause an irreparable loss to the environment, particularly the Musk Deer Gurez Park – a vast grassland in AJK near the LOC _ and deprive the Neelum valley of tourism.

Overall, about 200 kilometres of river bed in Azad Kashmir will be affected by the Kishanganga project. The river will turn dry over 40kms, a negation of international environmental laws. Under the law, at least 70 per cent of river flows are to be protected in case any project is taken in hand.

Pakistan has also objected to the design of the Kishanganga project as it envisaged drawdown flushing, which is against the spirit of the 1960 treaty. The design will arm India with the power to cause floods and water scarcity on the Pakistani side.

As required under the 1960 Treaty, Pakistan has exhausted all bilateral remedies before taking the dispute to a neutral party – a court of arbitration in this case - despite Indias delaying tactics.

On Oct 22 last year, an inter-ministerial meeting decided to file an arbitration request. The only pre-condition was to send a reply to the last letter from India and file an arbitration request two weeks later. However, the ministry of law sat on the file from October last year till April and hence an arbitration request was sent on April 18.

The six-month delay has already hurt Pakistans case and the country cannot afford further delay, the power ministry official said.

 

[ajtr]

Neelam Jhelum Hydroelectric Project - exploitation of Kashmiri resources​

Neelam Jhelum Hydroelectric Project - exploitation of Kashmiri resources . Speech of Dr Shabir Choudhry in a seminar arranged by Kashmir National Party on 04 July 2010.

Mr Chairman, friends and colleagues Aslamo alaykam.

1. Clarification

Before I make a presentation on the above topic, I want to make this clear that I DO NOT write or speak against Pakistan. I write and actively protect and promote interest of people of Pakistani Administered Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. Because wrong doer on this side of the divide is Pakistan or Pakistani officials and I expose their deeds which they do in name of Islam or brotherhood, people wrongly accuse me of being anti Pakistan.

When Pakistani writers and media people expose Pakistani officials for wrong doings inside Pakistan, they get compliments and they are not called anti Pakistan, but when we nationalist Kashmiris expose wrong doings of Pakistani officials inside our territory, we are accused of being anti Pakistan and in some cases ‘Indian agents’.

True, for some years I have paid less attention to issues of Indian Administered Kashmir not because they are not important, but because there are plenty of people to speak for their rights; and if I speak I will be just another voice. Whereas on the Pakistani side of the divide there is hardly anyone to speak out or expose human rights abuses and economic exploitations because of fear and intimidation.

As soon as anyone dares to speak to expose wrong doings of Pakistani officials in Pakistani Administered Kashmir or Gilgit Baltistan he is criticised as being ‘anti Pakistan’ or an ‘Indian agent’. Because of this fear and intimidation people are very hesitant to speak about their plight on this side of the LOC.

I have courageously written and criticised Pakistan’s Kashmir policy for years. It was not criticism for the sake of criticism, as I supported my contentions with historical evidence and facts, and yet I had to pay a big price for this; and because of ludicrous allegation and campaign of hatred, even I feel the pressure. I am a practicing Muslim, and yet I have been called Hindu and Sikh, just because what I write does not promote interest of those who make Kashmir policy for us, and those who have transformed the Kashmiri struggle in to business, whereas people of Jammu and Kashmir continue to suffer.

After announcing this seminar I had a phone call in which the caller verbally abused me and said: ‘If you are a true Kashmiri then you should expose India, because they are killing innocent people including children; and all you care is about water issues in Azad Kashmir’.

I gave him appropriate replies, but for the benefit of this audience, I and KNP condemn terrorism and killing of innocent people. To us Indian policy in Kashmir is exposed and you can’t expose it anymore; however we need to expose Pakistani policy on Kashmir which is carefully disguised in name of Islam and brotherhood.

2. Introduction

Mr Chairman

Water is fundamental to human survival, and many countries have serious shortage of water and energy, yet demand is on increase. Lack of sufficient clean and useable freshwater has adverse impact on economy and prosperity of many countries. Because of this scarcity, water has taken a strategic role for many states; and could be cause of conflicts in future.

In 1995, Vice President of the World Bank Ismael Serageldin said: ‘If the wars of this century were fought over oil, the wars of the next century will be fought over water.’

Egypt went to war with Israel more than once, but when President Anwar Sadat signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, he said Egypt will never go to war again, except to protect its water resources. Former Secretary General of the Untied Nation, Boutros Boutros-Ghali warned bluntly that ‘the next war in the area will be over water’.

As freshwater resources transcend national boundaries and its management is a major challenge for the future. If amicable mechanism of water distribution is not established, and alternative sources of energy are not discovered then Ismael Serageldin’s prediction might prove to be correct not in too distant future.

Our neighbour, Pakistan has serious energy and clean water problems, and more than 38 million people do not have access to safe drinking water. Despite these serious problems Pakistan has failed to get consensus to construct Kala Bagh Dam, initial planning of which was made in 1950s, and the country has spent millions of pounds on various feasibility reports. All the reports suggest that the dam project was economically viable, but politicians and provinces did not agree with its construction for various reasons.

3. Water – our natural resources

Mr Chairman

Just like oil is natural resources of some countries, water is natural resources of Jammu and Kashmir; but unlike other countries we cannot sell our natural resources, because it is not under our control. Tragedy is we cannot even use water according to our wishes or requirements.

The water resources in Jammu and Kashmir belong to the people of the State, but it was India and Pakistan who decided how to use our water in Indus Water Treaty of 1960. In the past both countries fought conventional wars and a proxy war to take control of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, as both wanted to make it part of their country. Now fear is that they might clash over the water issue.

Strategic Foresight Group of the International Centre for Peace Initiatives in Mumbai, in a book “The Final Settlement” deals with the issue of water between India and Pakistan in detail and says: Pakistan’s interest is in conflict with the people of Kashmir on both sides of the Line of Control; and adds, "A conflict over land between the people of Kashmir and the government of India will soon become a thing of the past. On the other hand, a water war between Kashmir and Pakistan is inevitable in the future."

But the question is who will fight and protect rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir? The puppet leaders who will do anything to please their political masters in Islamabad have no spine to even talk about rights of the people of Pakistani Administered Kashmir. When people of Khyebar Pakhtoon Khawa strongly refused to allow Islamabad to construct the Kala Bagh Dam, even though it was in the interest of Pakistan, puppet leaders of Islamabad in Pakistani Administered Kashmir said: for sake of Pakistan we will build 100 dams in Azad Kashmir.

Prime Minister of Pakistani Administered Kashmir, Sikandar Hayat told a seminar on March 6, 2003 “The freedom fighters of Kashmir are in reality fighting for Pakistan's water security and have prevented India from constructing a dam on the Wular Barrage.”

Another Prime Minister of Pakistani Administered Kashmir, Sardar Yaqoob Khan while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on 12 August 2009, said, ‘the AJK had the potential to generate over 14,000 megawatts (MW) of hydro-electricity’.

Pakistan’s electric requirement stands at 14,700 MW, and if our electric generating potential is in hands of a sincere government, then we can export electricity to Pakistan and meet their energy needs. It must be noted that current electric requirement of Pakistani Administered Kashmir is 400 MW; and we produce more than 1500 MW at present and we face long hours of load shedding just because everything is controlled by Islamabad.

4. Neelam Jhelum Hydroelectric Project

Mr Chairman

In line with its past policies, Islamabad has started a mega project in its colony, known as Azad Kashmir. They did not even care to consult, get permission, or have a formal agreement with the rulers of this territory. They know these rulers are puppets, and are ‘appointed’ there to look after interests of Islamabad.

Neelam Jhelum Hydroelectric Project is located near Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani Administered Kashmir. It aims to dig a tunnel and divert water of Neelam River from Nauseri, about 41 KM East of Muzzafrabad. A Powerhouse will be constructed at Chatter Kalas, 22 Km South of Muzaffarabad; and after passing through the turbines the water will be released in Jhelum River, about 4 Km South of Chatter Kalas. Once completed, the Neelam Jhelum Hydroelectric Project will produce 969 MW of electricity annually at the cost of US $2.16 billion.

This project, once completed will benefit Pakistan, but local people will not benefit from it in any form or shape. However, there will be serious economic and environmental consequences for the local people; and their future generations will face very serious economic and environmental problems.

The project will have very serious impact on environment of the area, as it plays a key role in the configuration of Himalayan ecosystem. Environmental groups have expressed their concerns about prospective environmental hazards on local economy and biodiversity.

Ecologists say the project area has significant conservational importance due to abundant of forests, aquatics life and presence of many species of wild life, which have been declared endangered globally.

Majority of population lives in rural areas and their existence and life largely depends upon forestry, livestock and agriculture. River water and natural springs are main source for drinking and irrigation of land; and this diversion of river will have serious water shortage, which will make life miserable for the local people.

The project will also have serious impact on the habitat of various rare species considered on the verge of extinction. Developmental activities in the area and other changes will surely have negative impact on the natural habitat of wildlife.

Beauty of this area is enhanced by this river; and this diversion will have serious affect on wild life, weather and beauty of the area. The river and the beauty of the area attract tourists and provide clean water to the local people and citizens of Muzaffarabad; and this diversion of water will deprive the area of clean water and reduce the Neelam River to ‘Nalah Lahi’ in Rawalpindi which has dirty water and creates enormous problems for the citizens.


5. Kishanganga Hydro Electrical project

Mr Chairman

Interestingly India is also constructing a dam on the Neelam River at Gurez which will divert water through 22 KM long tunnel before it enters Pakistani Administered Kashmir; and release the water in to Bonar Madumati Nallah – a tributary of the Jhelum River. The diverted water would be used for generating 390 megawatt electricity and feeding the Wullar Lake. The project will be completed by 2015.

What this mean is that the water of Neelam River will join River Jhelum at Bandipore on the Indian side of LOC instead of its present convergence at Domel in Muzaffarabad, Pakistani Administered Kashmir. This project has potential to benefit people of Jammu and Kashmir on the Indian side of the LOC, but it will surely reduce flow of water in the Neelam River when it enters Pakistani Administered Kashmir; and it will have severe impact on Neelam-Jhelum Hydro Electric Project.

The government of Pakistan believes that the diversion of water to Wullar Lake contravenes the provisions of the Indus Water Treaty, as it affect flow of water and affects the Pakistani project. Bilateral Talks between the countries on this issue have failed and Pakistan wants to resolve this issue by invoking the arbitration process enshrined in the Indus Water Treaty of 1960.

Other Hydropower projects in Pakistani Administered Kashmir

Mr Chairman

Pakistan plans to construct some more dams in Pakistani Administered Kashmir.

They have completed a project at Jagran with capacity to produce of 30.4
MW, and it is already connected with National Grid System in Pakistan. Apart from that they have completed small projects at, Kundal Shahee, Kathai and Leepa. Also they have some micro- level projects completed and in operation at Kail.

The government of Pakistan in its Water Vision 2025 programme has announced to construct more dams in Pakistani Administered Kashmir, details are as follows:


Kohalla hydropower project


Kohalla project: This is also run-of-river project, and the project site is located at Dhal Chattian 22 km from Muzaffarabad upstream on Jhelum and powerhouse is at Barsala 7 km from Kohalla. The completion period is about nine years at the cost of $1381 million.


New Bong with capacity of 74 MW

Gulpur with capacity of 60 MW

Rajdhani with capacity of 86 MW

Chakhoti with capacity of 123 MW
Abbasian with capacity of 244 MW

Harrihgel with capacity of 53 MW

Kotli with capacity of 97 MW

There are some micro and small size projects under consideration, and these are:

Batar with capacity of 4.8 MW

Kathai with capacity of 2.4 MW

Batdhara with capacity of 10.2 MW

Riali with capacity of 24.9 MW and

Dhakari with capacity of 3.2 MW

Conclusion

As noted earlier water is essential for human survival and progress. Jammu and Kashmir is blessed with this by the Almighty Allah; and Pakistan has serious water and energy problems. Due to out of date water management techniques, poor planning, and political problems the situation has become very acute.

We appreciate Pakistan’s water and energy requirements and want to help them in this regard as well; but they should learn to share resources and not to exploit us by behaving like an imperialial power. They need to acknowledge that these resources belong to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and if they want to make use of them then best way is to negotiate that with government of Pakistani Administered Kashmir and pay for the resources they use that people of the area also benefit from this.

This approach will create better understanding and promote goodwill between people of Pakistan and people of Jammu and Kashmir. If on the other hand they continue with their policies of exploiting Kashmir resources like imperial powers do, then it will surely back fire and will generate bad feelings for Pakistan.

I end with a quote of Mir Afzal Suleria, President of Kashmir National Party in Pakistani Administered Kashmir, who while talking to Human Rights Watch, said:

‘Pakistan says they are our friends and India is our enemy. I agree India is our enemy, but with friends like these, who needs enemies’?

Mr Chairman, I thank you for your patience.

Writer is Director Diplomatic Committee of Kashmir National Party, political analyst and author of many books and booklets. Also he is Director Institute of Kashmir Affairs.Email: drshabirchoudhry@gmail.com

To view other articles see my blog: Dr Shabir Choudhry's blog

 

[ajtr]

India conspires again​

Published: July 4, 2010
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THE National Assembly Standing Committee on Interprovincial Coordination has been told that India has stopped the World Bank from funding the Bhasha Dam with the argument that the area of construction, Gilgit-Baltistan, was a disputed territory. This was revealed to the Committee on Friday by the Member (Water) WAPDA, Syed Raghab Abbas Shah, when he testified to it. This reveals the Indian mindset, which did its best to cause damage to Pakistan, but it also speaks volumes about the World Bank, which joined in the conspiracy to prevent Pakistan from developing its water resources, as well as ensuring the Indian sabotage of the Indus Waters Treaty. That is despite the fact the Bank itself is the guarantor of the Treaty, and the party which is responsible under the Treaty to help settle any disputes that might arise over the Indus Waters. This should show Pakistan also how lowly it is rated by the USA when compared to India, despite the help it has rendered in its war on terror, with the Bank so much under American control that its President is an appointee of the US President.
The refusal of the loan means that the component, which the World Bank was supposed to put in, of the Rs 900 billion cost of the dam, will now have to be raised by other means. However, this should not ignore the fact that the Bhasha Dam decision came prematurely, and should have been preceded by the Kalabagh Dam, an eminently feasible project to which the World Bank is already committed. Because of this refusal by Pakistan to undertake the use of Indus Waters, India has been encouraged to violate the Indus Waters Treaty. It must also be noted that the Mangla Dam, which lies in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and thus in a disputed territory, was included in the Treaty, and was part of the deal the World Bank then brokered. There was then no objection raised about its status; and to raise it now merely indicates that Indian posturing in the region also carries American backing, as it builds India as a regional counterweight to China. Even if the World Bank is not investing in the disputed territory on the Indian side, its massive investments in India are freeing up resources for it to engage in heavy spending there, all meant to sabotage the Treaty. The consequences of this American backing are unthinkable, as they mean that even for as basic a resource as water, Pakistan would have to seek Indian good wishes. All this is a direct consequence of Islamabad’s subservience to Washington, and only in bringing this to an end, can Islamabad hope to regain any semblance of national independence. Also, the decision to build dams must not be left with regionalists, or internationalists, but nationalists.

 

[ajtr]

Water, energy key for economic uplift: FM​

Upadated on: 04 Jul 10 02:58 AM


Staff Report

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi stressed on bringing more sectors under the tax net and suggested documentation and tapping indigenous resources to meet water and energy needs for accelerated economic growth.

He expressed these views while addressing a meeting with industrialists at Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday.

He said that country can not achieve the economic growth it desires unless some inherent structural flaws in the economy are addressed.

He said that today Pakistan and India have issues and problems to address which may last for some more time. But Pakistan would remain adhere to its principled stance, he added.

He said Pakistan and India get water from common source. He added that Pakistan will move to settle the water issue bilaterally in case India tries to stop our share of water in violation of Indus Water Treaty.

And if, bilateral talks failed to address the issue then Pakistan will go for the third party option. The Minister, however, added “we also have to see how we are utilizing the water resources flowing towards Pakistan”.

Responding to a question on Pak-Iran gas agreement he said nations do face pressures and difficulties but they resist pressures in pursuit of national goals. SAMAA

 

[ajtr]

Kishanganga arbitration: a clarification​

Sunday, 04 Jul, 2010

ISLAMABAD, July 3: The government on Saturday said talks between Pakistan and India on the Kishanganga arbitration court would not be taking place next week as a date for further negotiations on the river dispute was yet to be finalised.

Kamal Majidulla, the prime minister’s Special Assistant on Water Resources and Agriculture, in a statement issued here said if a mutually agreed list of experts to resolve the issue cannot be agreed upon, the two countries will rely upon a single negotiator to reconcile differences with respect to a common list. He was responding to a news report published in Dawn on July 3, titled “Talks for Kishanganga arbitration court on July 6”.

In his statement Mr Majidulla has further stated that “there are no major disagreements existing between the ministries or Law & Justice and that of Water & Power” on the manner in which the issue is to be tackled.

“Both ministries are being assisted in this matter by a team of qualified and competent international experts for the formulation of a legal strategy designed to fully substantiate the substance of Pakistans demands and rights on the matter…”

While denying any direct involvement of the military in the matter, Mr. Majidulla said there had been many exchanges between all stakeholders on the Kishanganga-Neelum dispute, “but the military command has not involved itself beyond initial recommendations in the appointment of any lawyer to represent our case”.

He indirectly confirmed that noted lawyer Faisal Naqvi was not being selected as part of the legal team by stating that “he is not the preferred choice of the team responsible for making decisions”.

Mr Majidulla said although it was not a reflection on his competence, “a recognition of the imperative that the best available legal expert needs to be chosen to represent Pakistan in this matter of national importance”.