Pakistan, Afghanistan should sign water treaty to avoid future conflicts: Experts

Water experts have urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to sign a Water Treaty to avoid water conflicts in future and allowing the two neighbouring nations to find an acceptable framework Experts also emphasised the need for greater trust and science-based dialogue between the two states in order to understand and resolve water issues as well as explore feasible solutions.
The experts include former chairman Wapda Shams-ul-Mulk, Federal Secretary of Water and Power Ashfaq Mahmood, Chief Planning Commission (Water), Planning and Development division Naseer A. Gillani, Marcel Kurper CIRAD France, Head of AFD Pakistan Nicolas Fornage, Advisor (Climate Affairs), Ministry of Defence Qamar uz Zaman, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), Dr Shahid Ahmad, Specialist IWRN, Planning Commission Zaigham Habib, Chairperson, Hisaar Foundation Simi Kamal , CEO LEAD Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh and various other representatives of national and international organisations working on water related issues.
Several suggestions were made during the conference including carrying out a capacity audit of water related institutions. Indus River System Authority (Irsa) was mentioned as a negotiating forum in the conference and suggestion was made to have an Irsa like institution for Pakistan Afghan water issues.
Speaking at the conference former Chairman Wapda Shams-ul-Mulk said that Pakistan needs to have people in Pakistan and Afghanistan who say 'this is our river, not yours not mine'. He insisted that in the field of water "sub-optimality is not an option". CEO LEAD Pakistan Ali Tauqeer Sheikh said that Water Treaty between Pakistan and Afghanistan is necessary to avoid future conflicts. He further said that by initiating dialogue on trans-boundary water issues, the two countries have laid down a foundation of effective governance mechanism and reminded the water community of the necessity to balance human needs and ecological protection.
"We need to develop a water security management plan and to train the next generation of water diplomats and leaders", he added. Dr Qamar uz Zaman Chaudhry Advisor (Climate Affairs), said that there is a need to reassess the 1991 water accord between provinces as the principle needs revisiting. We need to develop think tanks and technical committees for conflict resolution.
He said that public awareness campaigns needed to underscore the importance of conservation and sustainable use of water resources. Alexandre Taithe, from the French institute the Strategic Research Foundation, emphasised the possibility of building on climate change related initiative for co-operation in the region. Frederic Bessat, from the French Embassy, encouraged the experts to think about possible "joint, multi-disciplinary, scientific fact finding working group" on Afghanistan/Pakistan co-operation.
Federal Secretary of Water & Power Ashfaq Mahmood said that it's the right time for Islamabad to sit with Kabul and formulate a water treaty or else it will be too late. The consensus of the workshop was that Pakistan should push Afghanistan to formulate a water treaty not only to avoid future water conflicts but also to draw on some alternatives if Indus supplies fall short as Pakistan has already become a water stressed country.
The water conference titled "Regional Water Governance: Facing Scarcity, Enhancing Co-operation" was held in a local hotel in collaboration with the French Embassy. The conference was the first of its kind in Pakistan and focused on water co-operation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.