Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 14: Its war cry muzzled in its throat, Pakistan seems to be now feeling the heat of India’s diplomatic and economic measures to punish the perpetrators of the barbaric Pahalgam terror attack, particularly to suspend the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) and continue to keep it abeyance even after the two countries reached the agreement on ceasefire.
Initially Pakistan had vehemently rejected the decision viewing it as an “act of war” if India stopped even one drop of Indus water flowing into Pakistan and the chief of the ruling party’s alliance partner Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto even declaring that “either water will flow in Indus or the blood of Indians.”
Forced to come down on its knees in less than four days of skirmishes, Pakistan apparently has realised that its tall talks would only leave Pakistanis thirsty. It has now “requested” India Pakistan is requesting that India reconsider its decision to place the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance, a move which India has justified by citing cross-border terrorism and a “new normal” of stronger counter-terror actions. Even after dramatic ceasefire, India has stated that the treaty will remain in abeyance unless Pakistan ceases its cross-border activities.
Fearing a water crisis, Syed Ali Murtaza, Secretary of Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources, wrote a letter to the Secretary of India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti a few days ago making an appeal to reconsider the decision of putting the IWT in abeyance,” official source said on Wednesday.
The treaty was put in abeyance based on a decision of the cabinet committee on security (CCS) on April 23, a day after the Pahalgam terror attack which killed 26 innocent tourists. “We will not give them a single drop of water, come what may,” Jal Shakti minister CR Paatil had declared. India had also announced that it will stop sharing flood warnings with Pakistan.
India has considered all options, which include taking long-, mid- and short-term measures on the water flow, which will now remain restricted, said sources. For the past two weeks, water has been released to Pakistan on multiple occasions, they said, for shortage of storage capacity. But as summer approaches, the government may consider shutting the tap.
“We have responded to the Indian letters by conveying that the treaty remains fully in force and is binding on the parties. There is no provision in the treaty to hold it in abeyance. The Indus Waters Treaty has been successful water sharing arrangement between the two neighbouring countries. The treaty has withstood tests of wars and standoffs…,” said Pakistan in the letter, according to sources.
“Holding in abeyance of Indus water treaty is unilateral and illegal…Pakistan is an agrarian economy. Millions of people are dependent on the water being regulated by this treaty. The Indian decision is equivalent to an attack on the people of Pakistan and its economy,” it added.
As per the 1960 treaty, India got around 30% of the total water carried by the Indus River System located in India, while Pakistan got the remaining 70%.
In response to the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in airstrikes. After a conflict for four days, a ceasefire was announced on May 10. The Indian government, however, maintained that the IWT will remain in abeyance.
With the IWT suspended, the Modi government is expected to take major steps toward completing the stalled hydroelectric projects on the rivers currently supplying water to Pakistan. A key meeting is likely to be held this week with Home Minister Amit Shah, along with Water Resources Minister Paatil, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and senior officials from all related ministries. Since the suspension of the IWT, two meetings have already taken place between Shah, Paatil, and top officials of the ministry.
Under the IWT, India had to give six months’ notice to Pakistan before starting any new project. With the suspension, this is no longer necessary, and data sharing will also cease. It is now possible to initiate new projects on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers and to revive Wular Lake.
Among the projects pending on these rivers included Sawalkot Project (1,856 MW): Proposed on the Chenab river in the Ramban and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir, Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Ratle (850 MW), Bursar (800 MW), Kiru (624 MW) and Kirthai I and II (Total 1,320 MW)
With the completion of these projects, Jammu and Kashmir could generate up to 10,000 megawatts of electricity. Additionally, the availability of water for irrigation and drinking could increase significantly.
Even during his address to the nation on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made it clear to Pakistan that blood and water will not flow together. Similarly, India will have no trade relations with Pakistan unless they stop harbouring terror.
