Jamil Chughtai
History bears witness to the fact that nations had by and large resorted to wars whenever it was realized by states that their national esteem, interests, or in the most extreme situations their survival was being jeopardized by the adversary. On the other hand, acknowledgement of national interests and right to existence of a country by other states generally proved to have been a source of enduring peace and cordial relations among nations at large. Since ages, non-availability, scarcity or manipulation of basic resources such as food, shelter, land, and above all the most precious commodity that is water, have remained a bone of contention between families, clans and tribes. Modern day states and nations go by the same rules of engagement when it comes to distribution and sharing of water assets from rivers, seas and oceans.
Pakistan and India are no exception to this very water-sharing issue. Coincidently yet unfortunately, the springheads of almost all the rivers that flow into Pakistan, including country’s life-line that is river Sind, fall in the Indian territory. This geographical handicap has made Pakistan dependent on India unnecessarily, and India by virtue of her traditional ill-will towards Pakistan continued to remind Pakistan of this awkward reliance repeatedly as well as aggressively. Realizing the fact since inception that India may resort to practical execution of its long-standing nefarious designs on water robbery, Pakistan seriously felt the need to put in place some sort of mandatory binding on India not to manipulate, usurp – or for that matter – divert, the water rights of Pakistan being a lower riparian in the river lines. Hence Pakistan embarked upon its diplomatic endeavours on international forums to muster up support of the respective world bodies to this effect.
Pakistan’s efforts came to fruition when finally the Indus Water Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan in September 1960, under the auspices of World Bank as its guarantor. The treaty categorically documented the distribution of water of six rivers (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Indus, Chenab, Jhelum) flowing down from India into Pakistan’s territory. As per agreement, India was given complete autonomy over the use of water resources of eastern rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi while Pakistan was authorized to make full utilization of water resources of western rivers Indus, Chenab and Jhelum. Despite two fully-fledged wars in 1965 and 1971 between Pakistan and India, and numerous war-like situations during this period, the treaty somehow remained intact though India tried to deviate every so often aspiring to shelve the agreement for good. Pakistan, on the other hand, continued its policy of following international commitments in true letter and spirit.
Indus Waters Treaty had, to some extent, provided a badly-needed and an internationally acknowledged legal cushion to Pakistan to officially monitor and formally take up any significant discrepancy observed in the water-flow due to Indian interference. As expected, India could not retain the false posture of consensus and non-aggression for long and reverted back to its hegemonic and grabbing demeanours of late. Contrary to the provisions of Indus Waters Treaty, India has initiated power generation projects on the rivers that fall in Pakistan’s jurisdiction. Construction of Kishanganga and Baglihar dams on River Jhelum, and Ratle dam on river Chenab could be termed as an absolute denial of agreed rights of Pakistan on its water resources with an intent to cause serious water crisis for the country. On top of it, recent aggressive statements by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his intentions to stop honouring the Indus Water Treaty and blocking the flow of rivers’ water into Pakistan have also raised a serious alarm in Pakistan.
Accordingly, to prevent India from carrying out its evil designs of ‘water terrorism’, World Band being the guarantor of the treaty, has been approached by Pakistan in September 2016 to appoint Chairman of International Court of Arbitration for resolution of Pakistan’s concerns. With an intent to hijack the whole affair through manipulation and coercion, India on the other hand, desires that the matter should be resolved by ‘technical and professional experts’ from both sides. Instead of timely intervening and resolving the issue amicably, the World Bank has come to the fore belatedly and that too for merely declaring in February this year that Pakistan and India should bilaterally resolve the issue during next couple of months. This very stance of World Bank is a clear manifestation of the fact that the world body too has become the latest victim of Indian powerful lobby having stronghold in the West in general and the United States in particular.
Within Pakistan, there have been scores of resolutions passed in national and provincial assemblies reiterating that any deviation from the agreed clauses of IWT or curtailment of water flow to Pakistan would be considered as an open war. However, this would not at all be enough. What we need at government level, especially by our Foreign Office, is the realization of the fact that without bearing a sturdy and tough posture on the issue at international forums and fighting a diplomatic war for our legitimate rights on share of river waters, the issue is not going to resolve. The more we, as a nation, are going to show restraint at this moment, the worse will become our state of water crises every passing day, besides turning India more audacious and brazenly wicked. It is high time to stop our adversary’s illegitimate march sooner than later.
