- Federal Minister vows to take water issue to the end-stage to protect interest of Pakistan and its people
- As mediator, US obliged to settle Pak-India water issue without any delay: IIRMR Chairman, President
ISLAMABAD: Unilaterally holding Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in abeyance by India is tantamount to an “Act of War” as this water is the lifeline of 250 million Pakistani people. Therefore, we will take the water issue to the end stage to protect the interest of our people, said Federal Minister for Water Resources Muhammad Moeen Watto.
He was speaking in a seminar titled “Indian Imperialism on Pakistan Water: Are New War Clouds Lurking, Consequences and Way Forward,” organized by the Institute of International Relations and Media Research (IIRMR) at a local hotel here on Saturday.
The federal minister cautioned about India’s sinister intention to weaponize water against Pakistan, saying in coming days we should be on high alert against India’s wickedness. However, he said so far Pakistan has been experiencing a normal flow of water from the Indian side, which is a good omen. Unmasking India’s pre-planned maliciousness, he said India wrote a letter on 18th April on the water issue seeking a reply from Pakistan. But without awaiting Pakistan’s stance, India blatantly announced the suspension of IWT, he added. He assured me that, as per law, neither IWT can be annulled nor can it be suspended unilaterally.
Institute of International Relations & Media Research (IIRMR) Chairman Muhammad Mehdi and President Yasir Habib Khan said that India has no capacity to cut off Indus River water because only five percent water flow comes from the Indian side. The same is the case with the Jhelum River, they added. “Rest of the mischievous effort will be exerted only at the Chenab River. And in such a case, if it is orchestrated, it will take many years to materialize,” they said. Besides, IWT is a test case for the world, they said. If it is violated, then none of the international treaties will survive,” they opined.
They termed China a party in such water management and distribution affairs as the entire stream of water descends from south Tibet, territory of China. Secondly, because the US came forward as mediator, it is its responsibility to settle the water issue without any delay of time,” they demanded.
Former Indus Water Commissioner Punjab Sheraz Memoon said that infringing the water treaty, even if India tries to block water flow toward Pakistan, will be an exercise in futility due to India’s insufficient capacity for water maneuverability.
He said that Pakistan now has to actively engage the World Bank and the neutral experts appointed under the Indus Waters Treaty. These organizations have the responsibility to see that the treaty is upheld and respected.
Former Punjab Irrigation Minister Mohsin Laghari categorically ruled out any kind of IWT suspension through a one-sided formula, saying if it comes about and India is given liberty to do so, none of the international treaties will stand to exist and will lose its holistic merits.
Former Indus Water Commission Commissioner Asif Baig and former Punjab Chief Engineer Irrigation Mr Shafiq said that India has transboundary agreements on water with China, Nepal, Bangladesh, and other neighbors. Because China is sitting on an upstream level from where water flows down to India, located at a downstream position.
Similarly in Pakistan’s case, India is in an upstream location, which is being bragged about by the Indian government. If India dubbing its upstream status as authority to stop water flow to Pakistan transgresses the treaty, then what will happen if China and other upstream countries block the flow of water to India?
