Minister for Water and Power Khwaja Asif talking to the media in Islamabad. PHOTO: PID
Briefing the media in Islamabad along with Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Water Mirza Asif Baig and Secretary Water and Power Saifullah Chattha, Asif said that when the treaty had been signed, Pakistan had population of 30-40 million which had multiplied five times to 180-200 million.
The minister said Pakistan is currently contesting with India over five water projects including Kishenganga, Ratle, Miyar,Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects, Wullar Barrage and Tulbul Navigation project.
Terming water a life and death issue for Pakistan, Asif warned that the country could become water starved in the future.
He added that consensus on water issue is needed, so Pakistan could defend its right vigorously. He urged people to change the way they use water.
Commenting on new projects, Asif said that work on Diamer Bhasha and Dassu Dams would be started simultaneously. He added that Rs21 billion have been spent on Bhasha Dam and land acquisition have also been completed.
Secretary Water and Power said India has been trying to get water in excess of the limits it is allowed under the Indus Basin Treaty.
The Indus Water Commissioner said the dispute regarding the proposed diversion of Neelum water by India and draw down of the dead storage level was referred to International Court of Arbitration.
Baig informed that the final hearing was concluded on August 31, 2012 and partial award of the court has been awarded on February 18, 2013 in which the question of diversion of river water was decided in favour of India, while the question of draw down in storage level was awarded to Pakistan.
Both parties now have to submit additional data and written submissions to the Court of Arbitration and accordingly the court will decide the quantum of water to be released below Kishenganga Hydroelectric Plant in Neelum river as environmental releases.
The final award of the court is expected by December 2013.
He said Pakistan has objected on freeboard, magnitude of pondage and placement of spillway of Ratle Hydroelectric plant of 850 megawatts, Miyar Hydroelectric Plant of 120 megawatts, Lower Kalnai plant of 48 megawatts and Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Plant of1000 megawatts located on Chenab river.
These objections were discussed before in two meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission in March and September and will finally be discussed in the next meeting of the Commission likely to be held in December 2013. Pakistan and India are members of the Commission.
Another disputed water project between India and Pakistan is Wullar barrage and during the sixth round of secretary level talks, it was agreed that the Indian side will provide additional technical data to Pakistan.
Pakistan will examine the data to furnish its views before the next round of the talks.
Pakistan had objected that according to the treaty India is not allowed to store water on main Jhelum. The work on the project is suspended since 1987 and it was last verified on May 30, 2013.
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@Pakistani: " Pakistan should have good relationships with US and Israel otherwise India will not listen to Pakistan" India did not listen to Pakistan even when you had joined all the military pacts with US, when John Foster Dulles was the Secretary of State and when Nixon-Kissinger duo sent the Seventh Fleet to Bay of Bengal to intimidate India. As far as Israel goes, keep being delusional about ever having good relations with her. @Ricky: "They cannot have it both ways sign it and not willing to accept. If a civilian had done it he would have been hanged." Why not? They signed Shimla Pact and are now asking US to interject itself in Kashmir imbroglio. It is the same old story: get everything at any cost, morality be damned. You end up always with nothing!
Pakistan must be strong internationally to handle these dam constructions, and to do that in my point of view Pakistan should have good relationships with US and Israel otherwise India will not listen to Pakistan
@Tom: I guess I was saying what would Israel do if Israel was in Pakistans position
Asif said that when the treaty had been signed, Pakistan had population of 30-40 million which had multiplied five times to 180-200 million."" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Lets blame India for this !.
"Indus water treaty do not judiciously distribute water: Khawaja Asif" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Lets wait for another 6 months...and in typical Paki fashion the entire issue will be forgotten . Thats the story of water management in Pakistan. Random press statements do not constitute a policy or action plan.
KishanGanga Project; 'which the question of diversion of river water was decided in favour of India, while the question of draw down in storage level was awarded to Pakistan.' +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ As any hyro engineer will tell you the major issue here was the diversion of water ( and subsequent return) which has been permitted to India. The issue of draw down is largely irrelevant for this project and therefor the sham attempt to proejct for the doemstic Paki audience that Pakistan also won something at the Court is precisely that: a facade. Indian victory has been almost total.
@Pakistani: Israel closed off Jordan river completly and it doesnot flow down to Jordan any more.!!. Go on a visit to Israel and see, India must do the same thing to shock pakistan into reality.!!!!
@Ricky: You got it wrong. Three rivers -- Indus, Jhelum and Chenab are given to Pakistan and three eastern rivers --Sutlez, Beas and Ravi were given to India. But as the main river is Indus Pakistan gets lion's share of waters (nearly 80%)
Where do these ministers go to school? How can a treaty that gave Pakistan 80% of the water can be termed injudicious? If Pakistan had controlled its population it would not have become water stressed country. It is time Pakistan stopped its water aggression against India
@Pakistani: Don't think, do it and see what happens.
I was just thinking what Israel would do in this sort of situation
Pakistanis some how find a way to shame themselves.... :D
India has never violated any law or treaty and never been unjust, and every outcome show India has always been right.
Is PML finally telling that a great Pakistani general Ayub sold three rivers to India for only two. Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab, have gone to India and the two to Pakistan. Either the treaty was fair or Pakistani general acted against Pakistani interest? If Pakistan is not happy they can go to International Court or re-negotiate the issue. They cannot have it both ways sign it and not willing to accept. If a civilian had done it he would have been hanged.
When will the Pakistani mindset of being entitled to everything end? The IWT is a bilateral treaty, India needn't have agreed to squat. Being the upper riparian, the water goes from India to Pakistan and believe me there is more than one way to bell the cat in India's favor.
Now begging for water too?
After Waar, let the next Lollywood movie be "Water". I am sure that will be a great hit as well.
So how many times will Pakistani politicians accuse India of stealing water after which an indpendent inquiry reveals that the treaty has been honored properly.....
@JSM:
Because pakistan knows if the treaty is scrapped and International law is applied to the lower riparian country, they will receive 30% of the water they are getting now. So India should abrogate the Indus water treaty and let pakistan go to the international court for justice.
@JSM: Why is Pakistan not scrapping the Treaty? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Pls read the article again' Water and Power Minister Khwaja Asif said that in his opinion Indus water treaty signed with India does not judiciously distribute water.' What is the opinion of the Paki Govt?
Hey Power Minister, Mr. Khwaja Asif, why don't we abrogate this treaty and show the Indians that Pakistanis are the greatest? No more IWT. Let Pakistan set its own rules.
Just don't tell me that none of the rivers have their source within Pakistan.
If it unfair, why Pakistan is not scrapping the treaty?