Speaking of Nawaiwaqt, the internet is buzzing with one of its editorials published recently, which translates to English as the following: “India should be forcibly prevented from constructing these dams (in Kashmir). If it fails to constrain itself, we should not hesitate in launching a nuclear war because there is no solution except this.”
Certainly, that’s a startling piece of advice. The question isn’t where it originated from, Dubai or Rawalpindi, but why. Why and what are Nawaiwaqt’s editors so upset about that they wish they could obliterate the old capital with the blink of a baby’s eyelid?
Is it because of the start of the silly season and Nawaiwaqt’s press card-carrying journalists fear that Islamabad’s elite may be distracted by vacuous Veena’s vacant antics, or Bobby-the-monkey’s behavioural nonsense? The point is that there’s not even a conversation between the two water commissioners on the cards, or a dialogue between the senior most India-Pakistan bureaucrats on the Wullar/Tulbul barrage.
Water has been climbing on top of the India-Pakistan charts for some time now, with Jamaatud Dawa chief, Hafiz Saeed, and his friend Abdur Rehman Makki making blood-curdling noises about India’s alleged denial of the Indus waters to lower riparian Pakistan earlier in the year. Pakistan Army Chief Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has also cited the water problem to explain his India-centric stance.
On their part, Indian analysts seem much more complacent, pointing to the 1960 Indus Water Treaty as a testament of good neighbourly behaviour. The dispute over the Baglihar Dam was resolved in India’s favour, even when Pakistan took the matter to the international tribunal and, as for the Kishanganga/Neelum River, India doesn’t seem overly worried about being asked to suspend some of the dam building until further assessments are made. (The Pakistani allegation is that India will divert the river water through a 22km mountain tunnel and over turbines for hydropower, thereby reducing the amount of water that Pakistan will get for its own planned 960 MW dam on the same river.)
Perhaps some of Nawaiwaqt’s anger towards India is a substitution for something else? Can it be directed at possible Indian help for Afghanistan to clean up the Kabul River in the Afghan capital and build sundry dams along its course? Is all this really a battle for hydro-influence?
India hasn’t said whether or not it will help Afghanistan build these dams, but the tension is already escalating. Earlier in the year, a US Senate study talked about India planning to build 33 dam projects on the Indus upstream.
India argues that Pakistan hardly uses up all the water that the tributaries of the Indus bring with it and that it is Pakistan’s bad water management, especially in the lean season, that is the crux of the problem.
Meanwhile, Delhi is concerned that China may be sending engineers to help speed up the building of its own dam on the Kishanganga/Neelum river.
Perhaps both sides should shed their inhibitions and ask Veena Malik to build a few bridges in the high Himalayas. On second thought, that might be easier said than done, considering, both India and Pakistan have for so long been carrying such muscular monkeys on their backs.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 13th, 2011.
COMMENTS (13)
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@Khan: "Jyoti ji, your logic is that its okay for India to be worried over China building a dam on Kishanganga/Neelum river but for Pakistan to be worried over India building Baglihar Dam is just plain absurd?"
It is not absurd for Pakistan to be concerned about a dam that India is building. But it is beyond absurd that 1) A mainstream newspaper in its editorial advocates the use of atom bom to settle a water dispute that is currently under arbitration and where there is NO evidence that India will disregard the eventual judgment in case it favors Pak. 2) No politicians have criticized this editorial nor has any other Pakistani editors in print or TV media.
To all the clowns calling Jyoti Malhotra some anti-Pakistani journalist, think again. She is by far the most sane and responsible journalist who also happens to be pro-Peace when it comes to India-Pak. Even though I feel Jyoti might be missing the point, that is still no reason to call her anti-Pakistani or sling mud at Tribune.
The point of having a free media is to listen to things you may not like. Everyone can listen to A.R. Rehman's music.
Jyoti ji, your logic is that its okay for India to be worried over China building a dam on Kishanganga/Neelum river but for Pakistan to be worried over India building Baglihar Dam is just plain absurd? I am going to play the 'hypocrisy' card over your logic.
As for Nawa-i-Waqat, they are selling newspapers. Do you know how hard that is in this electronic age?
After reading this article I am wondering whether Express Tribune is a Pakistani or an Indian newspaper?
I have failed to draw a relavance. A mere mud slinging. What's wrong with Express Tribune, please ensure some quality control
Nawai-i-Waqt is the only news paper in country which was started to safegaurd interest of public in contrast with all others with aim to maximise profit... Nawai-i-Waqt is and will b there to tell the ppl what they NEED TO LISTEN instead of telling them what they WANT TO LISTEN
Okay I got it. the author wanted us to tell the boring story of Indo-Pak water issues and wait "Veena Malik ! " * Yummy *.
Probably, she forgot to tip Veena Malik to wear swim suit, dive into the water near Baglihar dam and bridge the gap between two countries by swimming "naked" with "RAW" and "ISI" tattoos on her both arms this time.
This constant talk of the 'bum' on electronic media and now in a widely read print media's editorial gives a false sense of security and bravado to the common Pakistani and whips up anti-India/anti-US sentiment.
The army leaders who run the foreign policy think that this gives them additional negotiating leverage but actually it cuts down their policy options in terms of what would be acceptable to their own people. The people on the other side of the negotiating table are also not stupid and can see through the games which also reduces the credibility of Pak foreign policy.
The name of Veena Malik in the Title was just to get more readers! How professional!!!!
I wonder if some people understand what is a nuclear bomb.Some of them are so fond of talking about nukes that they speak about them as if they were some sort of fire-crackers.May be it is due to hydro-gen-influence,causing them to delude of any other form of solution to the problem
Nawa-i-Waqt is considered a mainstream Urdu newspaper. Yet some of the most hateful and irresponsible commentary wrt India appears in its Editorial pages. What is more alarming though is that most Pakistanis don't find this perverse.
I think you forget that Kashmir is a disputed territory and that there is a United Nations resolution on Kashmir which obliges India to hold a free and fair referendum where the people can choose their own destiny. Most Kashmiris inlcuding my family consider ourselves Pakistani. If India is determined to build damns on occupied land, why should they be surprised that Pakistanis would be upset. Regardless of whether or not the Indus Water Treaty was signed in the 1960s, we all know that India can easily disregard this treaty the way they disregard the right of Kashmiris in the UN resolution for a referendum. This would be a strain on Pakistan to have its water supply cut off. Sadly, this may lead to another conflict in the region unless India stops building damns on occupied land.
another article to spew pointless anti pakistan venom. another badge of honor for et, showing off its liberal (read leftist) credentials in allowing such blatant, unprovoked pak bashing on a pakistani newspaper. bravo! ms malhotra, please write on something useful and informative instead of ramblings with underlying 'pakistan is bad', 'india is great', 'world favors india' rhetoric. nawai waqt , like most urdu newspapers, thrives on sensationalism, exaggeration and distortion of facts. please stop wasting op ed space with such articles.