Pakistan And India-Water Disputes-News And Updates

[fawwaxs]

Tuesday, February 09, 2010
By Dilshad Azeem

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has conveyed to India its plan for a comprehensive discussion on Jhelum and Chinab waters over which Pakistan enjoys exclusive rights under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960.

“As Kashmir is the most important issue, the water issue is equally vital for us to be included in the agenda of coming Pak-India talks,” Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit told The News here on Monday.

Basit expressed the hope there might be progress by the current weekend about the final timing and venue for recommencement of a bilateral dialogue. “We expect a final shape by the end of this week. We stand for resuming of composite dialogue for which a format is being worked out through diplomatic channels,” the spokesman said.

The most burning water-related issue is Kishanganga hydropower project that India is constructing on River Jhelum thus depriving Pakistan of building such a project in its territory under priority right basis.

Pakistan decided to opt for a third party arbitration as India continued construction of 330 Megawatt Kishanganga project commenced without getting a prior approval from Pakistan under the 1960 treaty.

As Islamabad is urging for a composite dialogue with Kashmir and water controversies on top of the agenda, New Delhi places terrorism-related issues on top. To another query, the Foreign Office spokesman maintained the Indian side has been told about Pakistan’s plan for bilateral dialogue. “It must be meaningful and result-oriented.”

“Both sides are in the process of preparing a format to make the talks purposeful and consequential,” was his response when asked about the current status of talks. A three-member team of Indian side of Permanent Commission on Indus Waters (PCIW) is on Pakistan visit to inspect Sutlij, Ravi and Bias rivers over which New Delhi have exclusive rights.

“The team, headed by its commissioner, has no plan to meet the foreign office officials as it will be entertained by Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah during its visit to various sites,” officials said.

Abdul Basit also confirmed it was purely a technical delegation. “This team is not to hold talks on controversial matters.” However, he said Pakistani Commissioner PCIW Syed Jamaat Ali Shah and his department were fully on board to take their input on the water issue with India.

Pakistan to raise water issue with India

 

[PlanetWarrior]

Water issue needs to be resolved asap. This continous tirade of accusations and counter accusations is not good for either side. Perhaps the IWT needs to be reviewed to ensure that the water needs of all nations are satisfied.

 

[MarkTheTruth]

Since the 9/11 tragedy, international community has been taking war against terrorism seriously, while there are also other forms of bloodless wars, being waged in the world and the same are like terrorism. In these terms, India has been practising water terrorism against Pakistan.

In a bid to solace Islamabad’s concerns, while speaking in diplomatic language, Indus Water Commissioner of India G. Ranganathan who recently visited Pakistan revealed, “India had been affected as much as Pakistan due to water shortage in the Indus”. He denied, saying: “Indian decision to build dams on rivers has led to water shortage in Pakistan”, while rejecting Islamabad’s concerns regarding water-theft by New Delhi including violation of the Indus Water Treaty, assuring his counterpart, Indus Water Commissioner of Pakistan, Syed Jamaat Ali Shah that all issues, relating to water between Pakistan and India would be resolved through dialogue.

In international politics of today, these are deeds, not words which matter, so ground realties are quite different as to what G. Ranganathan indicated in his statements.

Apart from other permanent issues including the thorny dispute of Kashmir which has always been used by India to malign and pressurise Pakistan, water of rivers has become a matter of life and death for every Pakistani as New Delhi has continuously been employing it as a tool of terrorism to blackmail Pakistan.

In the recent past, Indian decision to construct two hydro-electric projects on River Neelam which is called Krishanganga in Indian dialect is a new violation of the Indus Basin Water Treaty of 1960. The World Bank, itself, is the mediator and signatory for the treaty. After the partition, owing to war-like situation, New Delhi deliberately stopped the flow of Pakistan’s rivers which originate from the Indian-held Kashmir. Even at that time, Indian rulers had used water as a tool of terrorism against Pakistan. However, due to Indian illogical stand, Islamabad sought the help of international arbitration. The Indus Basin Treaty allocates waters of three western rivers of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab to Pakistan, while India has rights over eastern rivers of Ravi, Sutlej and Beas.

Since the settlement of the dispute, India has always violated the treaty intermittently to create economic crisis in Pakistan. In 1984 a controversy arose between the two neighbouring states after India began construction of the Wullar Barrage on river Jhelum in the occupied Kashmir in violation of the Indus Basin Water Treaty.

In the past, the issue of Wullar Barrage has also been discussed in various rounds of talks, being held under composite dialogue process between the two rivals, but Indian intransigence continues.

In the mid 1990s India started another violation by constructing the Baglihar dam on the Chenab river. In 2005, Pakistan had again sought the World Bank’s help to stop construction of the Baglihar dam. Although WB allowed India to go ahead with the project after a few modifications, yet it did not permit the interruption of the agreed quota of water flow to Pakistan.

In 2008, India suddenly reduced water flow of the Chenab river to give a greater setback to our autumnal crops. Islamabad on September 17, 2008 threatened to seek the World Bank’s intervention on the plea that New Delhi had not responded to its repeated complaints on the issue appropriately. Pakistan’s Commissioner to the treaty, Syed Jamaat Ali Shah had also remarked that the shortage of water in the Chenab river, occurred due to filling up the Baglihar dam. Despite repeated pleas from Islamabad, India did nothing to address the problem.

Nevertheless, apart from intermittent violations of the Indus Water Treaty by construction of the Krishanganga project over Neelam River, New Delhi, in fact, has been using water as a tool to pressurise Islamabad with a view to getting leverage in the composite dialogue especially regarding Indian-held Kashmir where a new phase of protests has started. In this respect, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while talking in connection with the revival of Pak-India dialogue, said on February 8 this year that Pakistan’s case on Kashmir and water was based on truth, and the government would fight it with full strength.

Indian diplomacy of water terrorism could also be judged from a latest development. Reports suggest that India has secretly offered technical assistance to the Afghan government in order to construct a dam over Kabul River which is a main water contributor to Indus River.

By applying such a shrewd diplomacy of using water as another instrument of terrorism against Pakistan, New Delhi intends to fulfil a number of nefarious designs. India wants to keep her control on Kashmir which is located in the Indus River basin area, and which contributes to the flow of all the major rivers, entering Pakistan. It is determined to bring about political, economic and social problems of grave nature in Pakistan.

As regards the Indian clandestine aims, in this respect, a report, published in the “New Scientist” in 2005 pointed out a number of issues in relation to Pakistan by writing: “Violation of the Indus Basin Treaty could lead to widespread famine, and further inflame the ongoing conflict over Kashmir. Pakistan relies on the Indus river and its tributaries for almost half of its irrigation supplies, and to generate up to half of its electricity. Pakistan also fears that India would use various dams as a coercive tool by causing floods in Pakistan through sudden release of dam waters.”

In this context, China Daily News Group wrote in 2005: “Another added complication is that in building a dam upstream of Pakistan, India will possess the ability to flood or starve Pakistan at will. This ability was witnessed in July of 2004 when India, without warning, released water into the Chenab river, flooding large portions of Pakistan. The history of conflict between these two nations makes it possible for New Delhi to use nature as a real weapon against Islamabad.”

According to an estimate, unlike India, Pakistan is highly dependent on agriculture, which in turn is dependent on water. Of the 79.6 million hectares of land that makeup Pakistan, 20 million are available for agriculture. Of those 20 million hectares, 16 million are dependent on irrigation. So, almost 80% of Pakistan’s agriculture is dependent on irrigation.

It is notable that many of Pakistan’s industries are agro-based such as the textiles industry. Besides, 80% of Pakistan’s food needs are fulfilled domestically. Thus an interruption of water supply would have broad-ranging effects. For example, when the country suffered a drought from 1998 to 2001, there were violent riots in Karachi.

It is of particular attention that half of Pakistan’s energy comes from hydroelectricity, and at present, our country has been facing a severe crisis of loadshedding which is the result of power-shortage in the country. During the last summer, people in a number of cities like Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad etc. lodged violent protests against the loadshedding, culminating into loss of property and life.

While Pakistan has already been facing multiple challenges of grave nature coupled with a continued phenomenon of terrorism like suicide attacks, bomblasts etc., committed by the militants who enter our country from Afghanistan where Indian secret intelligence agency, RAW has established training centres for anti-Pakistan activities—New Delhi also uses water as a tool by increasing its scarcity, making life too often miserable for Pakistanis with the unlitmate aim of creating poverty which could produce more terrorism in turn. And is likely to deepen differences among Pakistan’s provinces over various issues which are directly or indirectly related to water.

So, still by employing water as an instrument of blackmailing, Indians continue to intensify political unrest, economic instability and social strife in Pakistan.

Surprisingly, recently, India started resumption of secretary level talks with Pakistan paying a greater attention on terrorism instead of equally addressing all the issues of the composite dialogue, therefore, Islamabad must talk about Indian water terrorism as a major focus of agenda in the ongoing and future dialogue.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations.

India?s Water Terrorism against Pakistan

 

[PlanetWarrior]

In a nutshell :

1. India stole Kashmir from Paksitan and continues to hold onto Kashmir as a leverage for the flow of water to Pakistan
2. India is stealing Pakistan's water and causing riots , famine and disaster to Pakistan's economy
3. India is involved in Afghanistan for 2 main reasons which are to hold back further water to Pakistan from Afghanistan and to support TTP and other extremism in Pakistan from Afghanistan
4. India is the cause of power outages in Pakistan
5. India can and did flood Pakistan and India can deprive Pakistanis of water

India's obsession over Pakistan is shameful. I wonder where India gets time to grow her economy with all this obsession over Pakistan. Shameful to think that India is the sole cause of all Pakistan's problems. Minus India and we would have an economically upbeat Pakistan with no problems and most probably a super power. Now I can only forsee an increase in salaries for those lazy good for nothing R&AW and Indian politician wallas all thanks to Pakistanis who credit them with these great fairytale policies

 

[DaRk WaVe]

well there will be shortage of water and we have to provide the water for our 1.20 billion population

This means you are going to take water from each & every neighbor of yours

 

[Shambu]

This means you are going to take water from each & every neighbor of yours

China is doing the same why dont you tell her.

 

[DaRk WaVe]

China is doing the same why dont you tell her.

From where the hell China came in huh???

We are talking about water theft by INDIA

 

[Shambu]

From where the hell China came in huh???

We are talking about water theft by INDIA

China builds dam on Indus in Tibet,keeps Pakistan uninformed
​

Thursday, March 19, 2009
By Shahid Shah

KARACHI: Keeping the users of Indus River water uninformed, China has built a dam at catchment area of the river in Tibet at Senge-Ali.

Pakistani authorities remain unaware of the dam with the exception of some individuals who read about this in a book published recently.

Alice Albinia, a British journalist and writer who recently visited Indus up to its roots, wrote in her book ‘Empires of the Indus’ that the greater part of water in the River Indus came from its upper reaches, from Tibet, Ladakh and Baltistan, rather than from its Himalayan tributaries in the Punjab. “All the water that drains from these mountains, I remember, is currently being stopped by the new dam at Senge-Ali,” she wrote.

She visited the Indus from its end point Indus Delta to its catchment area and the point of start called Senge Khabad by Tibetans, which means the lion’s mouth. It is the only place, where water did not flow from the glaciers, but the ground and flow continued round the year.

On her way to Senge Khabab, she saw a huge dam with massive concrete curve looms up from the riverbed. “The structure itself is complete, but the hydroelectric elements on the riverbed are still being installed. There are pools of water this side of the dam, but no flow. The Indus has been stopped,” she writes.

The Indus, born some thirty to forty-five million years ago, is the oldest known river in the region. It is the 21st largest river in the world in terms of annual water flow. The total length of the river is 3,180 kilometres (1,976 miles). The river has a total drainage area exceeding 1,165,000 square kilometres (450,000 square miles).

“I feel sad for the river: for this wild and magnificent, modern, historic, prehistoric river; for this river which was flowing for millions of years before humans even saw it; for this river which has nurtured the earth since the land rose from the ocean,” she writes.

Majority of the water experts in Sindh remain unaware of any dam built in Tibet. Most of them are of the view that Indus does not start from one point. It has thousands of tributaries, said Eng. Naseer Memon, water expert.

Indus main tributaries were in Ladakh, Baltistan and Tibet, glaciers of Himalayas, but there was also occasionally monsoon support.

He said there was no major water flow upstream, so building a big dam was not feasible.

Idrees Rajput, former secretary irrigation, Sindh and water expert, said the major water flow started from Skardu downstream, so building a dam could only be helpful for power generation and not the irrigation purpose.

He said the dam at Senge-Ali was for the power generation purpose, which will have no impact over Indus River. “Indus water still flows,” he said.

China had not officially informed the government of Pakistan, as there was no treaty between China and Pakistan over shared waters. Similarly, India has right to build a dam on Indus for power generation with a maximum capacity of 0.25 MAF water.

Indus River’s inflow is 140 MAF in Pakistan, and the small dams will have no impact over us, said Rajput. Pakistan is building largest dams on Indus River with 6.4 or 7 MAF water capacity.

Rajput said they got to know about the dam through “Alice’s book,” but Indus discharge in Pakistan was not stopped.”

Released ahead of World Water Day on March 22, IUCN’s latest publication, “Share: Managing Water Across Boundaries,” shows that international rivers - those shared by neighbouring countries - provide an estimated 60 percent of the world’s freshwater.

There are some 260 international river basins in the world, which cover nearly half of the Earth’s surface and are home to 40 percent of the world’s population.

“We cannot understate the importance of water for life on this planet; it is as necessary as the air we breathe,” said Julia Marton LefËvre, IUCN’s Director General. “Governments must realize that river basins, not national borders are the boundaries around which effective water management must be drawn.”

 

[Mister X]

Since the 9/11 tragedy, international community has been taking war against terrorism After the partition, owing to war-like situation, New Delhi deliberately stopped the flow of Pakistan’s rivers which originate from the Indian-held Kashmir. Even at that time, Indian

Nevertheless, apart from intermittent violations of the Indus Water Treaty by construction of the Krishanganga project over Neelam River, New Delhi, in fact, has been using water as a tool to pressurise Islamabad with a view to getting leverage in the composite dialogue especi

India?s Water Terrorism against Pakistan

Absolutely Sic and pathetic.

Brother, don't go by some blog that twists the fact. The same type of argument i have seen several times. So plz get some info about Pakistan and Indus water, for it i will help u out. Just pay attention.

Propaganda busted

China builds dam on Indus in Tibet,keeps Pakistan uninformed​

Thursday, March 19, 2009
By Shahid Shah

KARACHI: Keeping the users of Indus River water uninformed, China has built a dam at catchment area of the river in Tibet at Senge-Ali.

Pakistani authorities remain unaware of the dam with the exception of some individuals who read about this in a book published recently.

Alice Albinia, a British journalist and writer who recently visited Indus up to its roots, wrote in her book ‘Empires of the Indus’ that the greater part of water in the River Indus came from its upper reaches, from Tibet, Ladakh and Baltistan, rather than from its Himalayan tributaries in the Punjab. “All the water that drains from these mountains, I remember, is currently being stopped by the new dam at Senge-Ali,” she wrote.

She visited the Indus from its end point Indus Delta to its catchment area and the point of start called Senge Khabad by Tibetans, which means the lion’s mouth. It is the only place, where water did not flow from the glaciers, but the ground and flow continued round the year.

On her way to Senge Khabab, she saw a huge dam with massive concrete curve looms up from the riverbed. “The structure itself is complete, but the hydroelectric elements on the riverbed are still being installed. There are pools of water this side of the dam, but no flow. The Indus has been stopped,” she writes.

The Indus, born some thirty to forty-five million years ago, is the oldest known river in the region. It is the 21st largest river in the world in terms of annual water flow. The total length of the river is 3,180 kilometres (1,976 miles). The river has a total drainage area exceeding 1,165,000 square kilometres (450,000 square miles).

“I feel sad for the river: for this wild and magnificent, modern, historic, prehistoric river; for this river which was flowing for millions of years before humans even saw it; for this river which has nurtured the earth since the land rose from the ocean,” she writes.

Majority of the water experts in Sindh remain unaware of any dam built in Tibet. Most of them are of the view that Indus does not start from one point. It has thousands of tributaries, said Eng. Naseer Memon, water expert.

Indus main tributaries were in Ladakh, Baltistan and Tibet, glaciers of Himalayas, but there was also occasionally monsoon support.

He said there was no major water flow upstream, so building a big dam was not feasible.

Idrees Rajput, former secretary irrigation, Sindh and water expert, said the major water flow started from Skardu downstream, so building a dam could only be helpful for power generation and not the irrigation purpose.

He said the dam at Senge-Ali was for the power generation purpose, which will have no impact over Indus River. “Indus water still flows,” he said.

China had not officially informed the government of Pakistan, as there was no treaty between China and Pakistan over shared waters. Similarly, India has right to build a dam on Indus for power generation with a maximum capacity of 0.25 MAF water.

Indus River’s inflow is 140 MAF in Pakistan, and the small dams will have no impact over us, said Rajput. Pakistan is building largest dams on Indus River with 6.4 or 7 MAF water capacity.

Rajput said they got to know about the dam through “Alice’s book,” but Indus discharge in Pakistan was not stopped.”

Released ahead of World Water Day on March 22, IUCN’s latest publication, “Share: Managing Water Across Boundaries,” shows that international rivers - those shared by neighbouring countries - provide an estimated 60 percent of the world’s freshwater.

There are some 260 international river basins in the world, which cover nearly half of the Earth’s surface and are home to 40 percent of the world’s population.

“We cannot understate the importance of water for life on this planet; it is as necessary as the air we breathe,” said Julia Marton LefËvre, IUCN’s Director General. “Governments must realize that river basins, not national borders are the boundaries around which effective water management must be drawn.”

Pakistan's biggest newspaper

China builds dam on Indus in Tibet,keeps Pakistan uninformed

@ MarkTheTruth

Water flows from Tibet (currently under Chinese occupation) to India and then to Pakistan i.e.

Water from Tibet (China)>>>India>>>Pakistan

If China steals the water then the lessen water will be available to India and Pakistan.

So, if according to the article published by you, it is water terrorism then the terrorist is China not India.

The China which claims to be true friend of Pakistan is back stabbing Pakistan by quietly stealing your water and damaging Pakistani economy.

Now, go and take on China.

 

[DaRk WaVe]

^^^^

Can't u understand what i said !!!

RIGHT NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INDIA

make a different thread for it, Enough trolling on the forum...

 

[Mister X]

Water terrorist China building Dam in Tibet to steal the water of Pakistan. Terrorist is the term used by the article posted by Pakistani Brother.

 

[DaRk WaVe]

India is one country stealing water from each & every of its neighbor, this report about China is of 2009 where as India has been playing with Water Theft for a very long time

 

[Mister X]

^^^^

Can't u understand what i said !!!

RIGHT NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INDIA

make a different thread for it, Enough trolling on the forum...

If u want to do some India bashing then the scene become different.

We are not talking about India.

We are talking about rightful Pakistani water which some one is stealing and i have proved the thief is China.

As any sane person will understand if China builds the Dam to stop water then from where India give water to Pakistan.

So, plz don't be ignorant.

Thanks

 

[Shambu]

If you are talking about water theft why talk only about India and not china..
oh..i forgot china is your so called true friend

 

[Mister X]

India is one country stealing water from each & every of its neighbor, this report about China is of 2009 where as India has been playing with Water Theft for a very long time

So, you want to say that since India has stealing (in ur POV) water.

Now, China has the right to steal Pakistani water.

Then what are u complaining about.