LAHORE: The long-standing water dispute between Pakistan and India can be resolved in an amicable manner through the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with the upper riparian, India, realizing the grave water problem in Pakistan.
Renowned water expert Engineer Suleman Najib Khan stated this at a seminar on "Pak-India Water and Trade" arranged by India-Pakistan Soldiers Initiative for Peace (IPSI) at Gymkhana Club on Wednesday.
IPSI Chairman Lt Gen (R) Naseer Akhtar, Maj Gen (R) Malik Muhammad Saleem Khan as well as an eight-member Indian ex-army men delegation headed by Indian Voice Chief of the Army Staff (R) Muti Dhaar were also present. While, former finance minister Dr Salman Shah gave an elaborate presentation on the Pak-India trade.
Suleman Najib Khan expressed the concern that India had built dams on Pakistani river waters emanating from Indian side of Kashmir including Chenab, Indus and Jehlum Rivers in violation of the IWT. "We have no feature on Chenab to build a dam but you (India) are operating dams thus having full control to hold Pakistani water even for a month, and this matter needs serious attention of the Indian government," he added.
He said since India had been the upper riparian, it had the full control and advantage of water than the lower riparian, Pakistan. He stressed upon the India to share equitably, fairly, amicably and honestly the waters of the three rivers upon which Pakistan had perpetual right under Indus Water Treaty, reached between the two countries in 1960.
Suleman Najib Khan said Pakistan could not build more reservoirs, as it had to spend billion of rupees to fight out Tablibans and extremism. Secondly, Pakistan's population has now increased up to three times than in 1974, while, its water storage capacity has reduced to mere 8 percent vis-a-vis the ground water level is lowering fast due to global warming, he said, adding, Pakistan had since long been loosing hydropower worth $ 60 billion following spoilage of water in the absence of reservoirs every year. He said, "You (India) share with us the boundaries of Indus Basin to keep Pakistan's agriculture alive.
You may go further with trade and technology but if you just give us a space in agriculture, it will eliminate terrorism and extremism from Pakistan."
He quoted a writer John Brisko as wrote in his book, "Indian governments treat water/Kashmir as its highly strategic subject and never educated its people on it." The India has to bring monumental change in its approach towards Kashmir and its waters and follow the IWT provisions in letter and spirit, he maintained.
Later, the Indian delegation head Muti Dhaar said India wanted total stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan, adding that India was assisting financially Afghanistan for development of its sectors of education, health, power and infrastructure.
Muti Dhaar said, though India had constructed dam on Pakistani waters, it had ensured that water was not held during cultivation season in Pakistan. However, he said, "I assure you, we will do what can be possible for us for better and strong relations between the two neighbouring countries."
While, another delegate Brig. Kaul said this grave water issue was flashed to us here, endorsing Eng. Suleman Najib's narration, "I am regular reader of newspapers and books, but I never go through any such problem, as India does not public the water issue and not educate about this, which is very harmful for both the states."
Earlier, in his presentation on Pak-India trade, Dr. Salman Shah said, "Both sides need to ease upon the visa regime, change standards, quarantine and business rules, besides creating trade infrastructure."
Shah said in the rules of business, both the countries would have to sort out Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to maintain balance of trade, citing, Pakistan and India could not benefit from each others trade potential due to these NTBs.
He suggested three major initiatives to strengthen and expand Pak-India relation that included Trade, Tourism and Investment.
He elaborated that enhanced trade could be a foundation stone to further the bilateral ties, while, tourism could improve people-to-people contact and investment was another factor which could ensure strong and long-lasting relations between the two countries.
Dr. Shah said Pakistani textile industry had great potential with regard to trade with India, asserting that Pakistan had huge potential for regional trade.
He said Pakistan also wanted stability and development in Afghanistan. "Stable Afghanistan is very much in favour of Pakistan," he observed.
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