It is better for India to realise the ground realities and avoid pressure tactics
PESHAWAR: The recent announcement by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to annul the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in the wake of the recent Pakistan-India tension is an alarming sign, not only for bilateral relations between the two countries but also for the whole region. Threatening to revoke the Indus Waters Treaty that has survived three wars, besides ups and downs in relations, clearly manifests the bitterness and uncertainty of relations between Pakistan and India. Pakistan has rightly responded to the Indian threat of blocking river waters by declaring that the unilateral withdrawal from the bilateral treaty is against the spirit of international law and amounts to an act of war.
At present, India is exploring and evaluating all options to pressure Pakistan into withdrawing support for the Kashmir cause. India is also lobbying the regional countries not to attend the upcoming Saarc summit scheduled in Islamabad in November this year to make the event a failure. Moreover, India is willing to provide its citizenship to individuals who are engaged in sabotage and separatist activities in Pakistan.
India as a major country in the Saarc bloc and the region should demonstrate maturity and avoid indulging in suspicious activities and threats that could be harmful for the whole region. Using water as a weapon of war will set a bad precedent in the region. Every regional country will use it against another country in times of hostility, as they are connected through rivers. Also, lobbying with regional countries against Pakistan is not only against the spirit of Saarc but can also give birth to regional allies, antagonistic to one another. Similarly, providing asylum to separatist elements by India will further increase tensions between the two countries. It is better for India to realise the ground realities, avoid pressure tactics, and give due rights to the Kashmiris, instead of indulging in activities that promote hate.
M Sayyad Alam Khan
Published in The Express Tribune, September 30th, 2016.
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