Water terrorism

Indian intentions behind its recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty have become obvious by its behaviour in the current monsoon. It is not about grand schemes for diverting Pakistan’s water, but a series of exhibitions of pettishness and bad behaviour, an avoidance of its responsibilities not just under the Treaty but as an upper riparian. The prime example is the release of waters by India into the Sutlej and Ravi from its reservoirs, thus causing floods which caused devastation along the course of these riverbeds in Kasur, Pakpattan and Banawalpur districts. Villages have flooded, homes and crops destroyed, and livestock destroyed, all because of deliberate action, and none of which will be compensated by the perpetrators.

India has ignored the normal mechanism of communication between the Indus Water Commissioners, which have been established by the IWT, in favour of using diplomatic channels, with the Indian High Commission in Islamabad informing the Pakistan Foreign Office of the release of waters.

Pakistan’s Indus Waters Commissioner has also disclosed that India has yet to exchange data as mandated by the Treaty. This shows the depths to which India is willing to sink in exhibiting its animus. It is only a matter of time, and investment of a little effort, before the Indian High Commission and the Pakistani Foreign Office develop the necessary expertise in making such communications, but this will take some time. With the monsoon in full flow, it is not the right time to be on a learning curve. Indeed, some of the complaints by flood victims of the authorities failing to give timely warning may be ascribed to the delays caused by the Foreign Office not knowing which ministries or agencies had to be informed.

Such minor bureaucratic kerfuffles are easily sorted out, but the real issue remains. India is behaving badly in an area where it is not just violating its own Treaty commitments, or flying in the teeth of international law, but also threatening Pakistan’s vital interests. India might be taking a very mean–spirited revenge for the battering it took in the course of its recent conflict with Pakistan, but it should be wary of pushing Pakistan too far. If Pakistan has too many people rendered not just homeless but also hopeless (by the destruction of their crops), it might find itself obliged to deal with the existential threat by extreme measures. The international community is obliged, not just by that fear, but by the demands of justice and international, to get India back into obedience of the IWT.