SIALKOT: Jamaatud Daawa (JuD) chief Prof. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, who is part of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), on Monday warned about an alleged plan by India to make Pakistan barren by impeding the flow of water in the rivers feeding Pakistan. He urged the government to hold serious dialogues with India over this crucial issue, which would be devastating for the agro-based economy of Pakistan.
The JuD chief stated this while addressing a meeting of party workers in Sialkot on Monday. He was of the view that a friendship with India would never be successful.
The distribution and flow of water from India to Pakistan is governed under the Indus water treaty. However, India has sought to build dams on the rivers on its side of the border, raising concerns for Pakistan which has taken its neighbours to an international court of arbitration.
Hafiz Saeed narrated that the international community could never ignore the sacrifices rendered by the people of Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir for freedom of the valley from Indian yoke. He said that the sun of Kashmiri Freedom will soon rise and the sacrifices of thousands of Kashmiris would bear fruit.
The city of Sialkot lies at a mere 20 minutes drive from the Pakistan-India international border. It takes a further 40 more minutes to drive to Jammu, the main city in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir.
He expressed complete solidarity with the oppressed people of Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir. He also expressed grave concern over the rising human rights violations, custodial killings and genocide of innocent Kashmiris by the Indian Army.
He was of the view that these practices were enough to shake the conscience of the international community into action. He also urged the world community to use its influence to globally pressurise India for halting inhuman practices against residents of the valley.
However, he soon returned to the DPC's stance to agitate against the recently restored NATO supply line through Pakistan and according the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India.
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Saeed Sahab ! Please ask Pakistani government to open India's trade routes to Afghanistan, Iran and central Asia. Rest assured, we Indians will walk an mile to make sure that Pakistan gets her share of water. Please don't forget that Afghanistan and Iran were India's neighbors till 1947.
@polpot i support @bagroo here. Pak foreign policy is like Hafiz Saeed and Hina is its fascade. It is easier to deal with the real face than fasacde.
The intelligent thing for Pakistan to do is to build dams downstream on these rivers for irrigation as well as power generation. Pakistan has the ideal terrain for it and should have done that a long long time ago. It is the same leaders or their previous sponsors who used to object to Pakistan doing so, again for cheap and selfish political gains. Pakistan may even get some cooperation from India in terms of timetable and capacity of these dams so that Pakistan can plan its water supply. Pakistan needs to change its paradigm, cooperation not confrontation unless India proves an unworthy friend.
I am a Pakistani and I strongly support India's right to build as many dams it wants any where in its territory including the rivers that end up flowing through Pakistan. Pakistani leaders who oppose it are either uneducated or do it only for cheap political gains. To see through this, one needs to understand how dams work. They can only restrict the flow of water till they dont fill up. Once they fill up, excess water has to be drained. While I am aware that India will drain some of the water from these dams into canals to irrigate its fields, they cannot indefinitely restrict the water flowing into Pakistan without risking flooding in India, unless they carve out complete rivers in India to reroute water from these dams into the Indian Ocean via its territory, for which it does not have the capacity, the appetite or the motivation.
Pakistan's Water Woes i.e. Per Capita Availability from 5,500 CBM in 1951 to 1,100 CBM in 2011 is due to the Pakistan Population having increased from 34 Million to nearly 200 Million which is SIX TIMES whereas the Per Capita Availability has been reduced to ONE FIFTH. . In addition about 40-45% of Pakistan's Can Waters are lost due to the damaged - missing - eroded CANAL LININGS which has been accepted by Pakistan's Ministers at various times. . India has not "Stolen" Pakistan's Share of the Indus Waters. . Cheers
I hope my comment which I just posted won't be barred from getting published this time. Thank You
Beware Mrs. Rabbani!! Pakistan's foreign affairs are being taken over by the great philanthropist Mr. Hafiz Saeed. Laudable Pakistan- where governance is so efficiently shared among Govt., Army, Terrorists and the Poor[civilians].
@Well Known: He, and We Will Come Very Soon. "Hunuz Dilli Dur Ast" -- that is what the Saint said to the Sultan and that Sultan died on the way.
Just watch after this rainy season. JuD would not be seen at all. All his sources of funds have been cut off. Almost all of his funds were from overseas, specially Gulf countries and this source has now been cut off. Very negligible amount is from within Pakistan, that too mainly from the Establishment and Punjab Government and they themselves do not have any money now. Only true charities like that of Edhi's will survive.
Charity should begin at home. Why does he no do anything about the opprssed people of Azad Kashmir and Balochistan. Throwing mud at India is a cheap political stunt.
He couldn't stop NATO supply line then what is best topic other than India or Kashmir to keep him in lime light. I think his time is over and it is better for Pakistan
Saeed had helped flood victims and lndia is tryi ng to finish his oportunity through checking the flood . He will loose his market and profit in the form of mass support ,
Days are numbered for Hafiz Bhai.....sad end afterall what a pity. Pakistan story will finish anyway...water belongs to India everydrop.
Engineer Saeed has an opinion about everything!
He is giving heart attacks across the border, Doctors in India must be loving him.
u indians only understand the language he should have spoken
He should lead the negotiating team from Pakistan side.
is there any Govt in Pakistan???/
I know it is not possible, but I wish India would block all the water till this Hafiz guy gets to take a bath once in 6 months.
@Bangroo: "Hafiz Saeed as Foreign Minister of Pakistan…… all the way!" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sorry but I prefer the looks of Ms Khar to those of Mr Saeed. All those who agree, recommend this comment to show your support.
@Gratgy: And the same situation is with us and we are also seeing that what is happening in the Indian Occupied Kashmir by the brutal and cruel Indian forces??????
@Gratgy: And the same situation is with us and we are also seeing that what is happening in the Indian Occupied Kashmir??????
@Well known, You are most welcome along with your Ameer Hafiz saab.. Just say good bye to your near and dear ones for the last time.
@Well Known: Every Time He Talks In Pakistan & For Pakistan. NO. He talks only in Pakistan for Islam. And he thinks he is saving 'Islam'!!!! @Indian : He, and We Will Come Very Soon. 1947, 1965, 1971, 1992 Mumbai Serial blasts, 1999, Kandahar and 2008 Mumbai. And you still don't learn..... We are used to your nose coming now and then.... And we have cut it short every time...... Kasab has been very lonely in the prison.....
Dialogue?? Really??
Looks like the US bounty is doing the trick. Even Hafiz Saeed is trying to turn a new leaf.
Hafiz Saeed as Foreign Minister of Pakistan...... all the way!
All those who agree, recommend this comment to show your support.
@Ahmer Ali Hafiz Saeed Ahmed is a great,brave and courageous man and by using all powers India couldn’t provide any solid evidences against him regarding Mumbai attacks
It is impossible to show anything to a blind man
I am amazed at the coincidence. Within a month of the Mumbai attacks, violence within Pakistan spiraled out of control. Stepped up drones, bombing everywhere within Pakistan, kidnappings, Balochistan situation worsening etc etc. I get a feeling that a midst all this, there is a connection somewhere with this fine gentleman.
We should welcome the change in Hafiz sb attitude. Hope the other will follow him.
I am Pakistani liberal - My source of information are Express Tribune, CNN, BBC & Dawn blog - I hate to listen any news about Burma, Kashmir, Palestine, Syria & Afghanistan but I am interested in discussing Baluchistan Issue, I am sad due to illegal custody of Dr. Shakeel Afridi & understand that Dr Aafia is an American citizen & its the US court right to do what they want to do with her. I love fashion shows where I can see skin but I get irritate from Burqa Clad. I feel grief when any Indian actor died & feel sad when any Non Muslim convert into Islam. I am happy to see Saudi women in Olympic & feel sad that some extremist women covered their heads. I am liberal & I have no direction but I love to do tweets because I am pseudo-intellectual:)
Every Time He Talks In Pakistan & For Pakistan. Thats Why We Like Him. @Indian : He, and We Will Come Very Soon.
I hope pakistani people are not that fool to belive him now ... I really wonder .. for how long he is gonna use that threat ... even the army in that case ... Now pakistani people have India phobia... day and night they fear India will just gulp them alive .. In short they are scared of India ... of the things dont exist.. Its time that Pakistani people should show these people there place ... and call it a BLUF publicly .. so as nobody else will dare to do the same .
Urges dialogue...yes yes. And the Indians are very happy to have dialogue with us thanks to the likes of Saeed. What would REALLY help dialogue and relations with India is if this guy were to disappear.
"The city of Sialkot lies at a mere 20 minutes drive from the Pakistan-India international border. It takes a further 40 more minutes to drive to Jammu, the main city in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dear Editor, Can you pls explain the relevance of this geographical tidbit to the article ?
Just watch show today where he call for war with India A.S.A.P "Hafiz Saeed warns of water dispute with India, urges dialogue" It is wrong headlines
He expressed complete solidarity with the oppressed people of Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir. He also needs to express complete solidarity with the oppressed people of Pakistan administered Baluchistan....... He also expressed grave concern over the rising human rights violations, custodial killings and genocide of innocent Kashmiris by the Indian Army. He also needs to 'express' grave concern to the outright killing of people in Mumbai who claim him to be one of the trainers of the gunmen.... Indian Army!!! Come and talk to them once..... Face to face.......
Maybe we should worry about making reservoirs and safe keep the rain water that we feed the Arabian sea with.
What are you doing there? You are supposed to be behind bars?
Historically, IWT is best brokered agreement of WB which has build in mechanism of arbitration. Under IWT Pakistan preferred better share of upper riparian rivers leaving lower riparian rivers for India. This benefited Indian Punjab as compared to J&K. On the other hand in Pakistan Sind is deprived as compared to Punjab. For the shock of readers here, signing IWT is being opposed by none other than J&K leadership demanding compensation from Union of India on above counts. The need of the hour is to have controlled flow of water in all these rivers for benefit of both nations. What is required is also to build barrages on Pak side to provide continuous flow to its citizenry through canals. Pakistan is also requiring projects like NRLP linking 14 Himalayan and 16 peninsular rivers. The thinking is required in this direction.
Is there no one in Pakistan to tell this chap what is the truth?
Something is cooking. Hafiz Saeed's statements and speeches are showing a definite shift. His statements on India are much mild than what they used to be. He starts with asking the court and government to provide him protection. Then he issues statements on ending VIP culture Now he is urging the Government of Pakistan to hold discussions with India which is way off his usual call for Jihad. He knows that his freedom is not going to last long and he cannot move to any other country also. He knows if Zardari comes to power again, even the Army cannot protect him. He also knows Drones are there to stay. Jihadists are known only to lead others to their death but when it comes to their life, they shall do anything to protect it. OBL did the same. I won't be surprised if talk of some plea bargain or suggestion of becoming an approver is heard in the next few months. I may be wrong. But get this feeling.
His concerns are very genuine over water issue. The future looks so grim. Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek won't be the explosive issues but water certainly will be. Unfortunately, the incompetent and corrupt political 'leadership' has this on least priority. That is the main reasons people like Hafiz Saeed and organizations like JUD originate.
Dialogue and Hafiz Sahib..This is something new..Have you ran out of bullets and guns..Sir?
I agree with Hafiz Saeed(can you believe that!) that IWT should be redone. India is giving 80% of the water to Pakistan, of the river that flows in to Pakistan.
This is not fair. IWT should be renegotiated whenever there is a chance. Someday this guy might become the PM of Pakistan and India should give him what he wants - a 50-50 share of water.
Because of such unwanted generosity India is considered a soft state.
Is he too dense to realize how India views him? Well, he must be, because if he was intelligent he would know to not publicly announce such requests and expect it to come out in Pakistan's favor. The moment India finds out the talk was requested by him it would handicap the whole thing and be counter-productive if not get the talk request shot down entirely. Sort of like TTP demanding the embassy closing in Myanmar. The very fact they said to would cause hesitation because it would look as if they were giving in to demands made by them.
"He expressed complete solidarity with the oppressed people of Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ And forgot to He expressed complete solidarity with the oppressed people of Baluchistan?
Urges dialogue ?
Thats not like this loser. Dialogue with India is not his way of doing things.
Would someone educate him that India is doing to the rivers exactly what the IWT allows.
Pak needs to manage its water more efficiently. Why is so much fresh water allowed to flow into the sea ?