Secretary Ministry of Water Resources Shamail Ahmad Khawaja said on Wednesday that Pakistan is waiting for final response from a "biased" World Bank on the mechanism to resolve dispute with New Delhi on two hydroelectric projects - Kishanganga 330 MW and Ratle 850 MW. He disclosed this at a meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Water Resources, headed by Khalid Hussain Magsi . The meeting was attended by almost a dozen members of the committee, many of who did not even participate in the discussion and left the meeting after signing attendance sheet to ensure they get their attendance money.
Secretary Water Resources said that there was a "pause" between Pakistan and India after talks in Washington in September last year under the aegis of World Bank, which brokered the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in 1960. Insiders claim that there is a bias in the World Bank against Pakistani due to considerable strength of Indians in the Bank's head office.
Shamail Khawaja said that according to the Treaty, first the Water Commissioners of the two countries would try to resolve a dispute on hydropower projects and, if differences remain then a neutral expert is appointed to resolve the dispute. If either of the Commissioners decides that the dispute remains unresolved then it is referred to Court of Arbitration with the cooperation of the World Bank.
He said Pakistan is urging the establishment of Court of Arbitration (CoA) to resolve the dispute whereas India is asking for appointment of Neutral Expert.
He informed the committee that Pakistan had written a letter to President of the World Bank, saying that there is already a prolonged delay on the part of the World Bank with India nearing completion of the Kishanganga hydroelectric project, and requested an active role by the Bank. To this, the World Bank wrote that it is dispatching a high level delegation to Pakistan headed by World Bank South Asia Region Vice President, Annette Dixon. The delegation visited Pakistan in January 2018. An inter-stakeholder meeting finalised the strategy and held detailed deliberations with the World Bank Vice President for South Asia.
According to him, the World Bank's delegation informed the meeting that they have also held deliberations with India and reiterated that in the Bank's view, appointment of Neutral Expert is reasonable instead of constitution of Court of Arbitration. "Our viewpoint is that some issues with India are of technical nature whereas some are of a judicial nature," he said, adding that 23 issues are declared technical in the Treaty.
Secretary Water Resources said, the World Bank maintained that the first neutral expert should separate the nature of issues falling under the jurisdiction of neutral expert and Court of Arbitration. However, Pakistan during the talks stressed that its objections on the projects' designs are of technical and judicial nature and should be sorted out by the Court of Arbitration. Pakistan is now waiting for response from the World Bank.
The committee also discussed water issues amongst the provinces. The members of Indus Water System Authority (Irsa), representatives of Provincial Irrigation Departments also attended the meeting. Chairman Irsa briefed the committee about the role of regulator and current the water situation. He said, presently, the country is facing shortage of 36 per cent. The committee witnessed wide differences between the provinces on the Water Apportionment Accord 1991. Nawab Yousuf Talpur raised his voice against release of water in accordance with the amended Accord. Special Secretary Irrigation Sindh termed amendment in Water Accord a crime on the part of Irsa.
When the committee recommended that if Sindh is aggrieved party, then it should approach Council of Common Interests (CCI), Nawab Yousuf Talpur and Sindh government representative objected arguing that Irsa should approach CCI. The committee was informed that wheat crop in Sindh is being destroyed due to shortage of water. The representatives of Punjab government explained that the situation in southern Punjab is the same.
They said water availability is calculated on the basis of historical use of 103 MAF for Sindh but the province is seeking its share on the supposed availability of 114 MAF which was linked to the construction of new reservoir which has not materialized. Member Irsa KPK Raqib Khan said the regulator is supply 26,000 cusecs of water to Sindh against its share of 20,000 cusecs.
The representative of Balochistan government accused the Sindh province of stealing its water for the last 27 years. He said there are seven unauthorized outlets in Sindh territory between RD-102 and RD-116. He proposed that additional discharge of 180 cusecs be provided down-stream through Garang regulator for the losses incurred by the province.
To address the issue of shortages in discharge, he suggested that Sindh should strengthen monitoring mechanism. Irsa should depute two Assistant Engineers at Pat-feeder canal at RD 109 and Kirther canal RD-102. The Balochistan representative further stated that Balochistan has been given 21 MAF less discharge since the Apportionment Accord 1991, requesting that the province should be compensated by Sindh for utilizing its water share, the price of which has been calculated at Rs 140 billion. After witnessing hot debate between Irsa, Punjab, Sindh, KPK and Balochistan sans conclusion, Chairman standing committee deferred the agenda till the next meeting.
Nawab Yusuf Talpur asked Special Secretary Sindh to "stop stealing" Balochistan water. Chairman Standing Committee Khalid Magsi also urged Sindh government to stop this practice adding that Balochistan's share is already meager which needs to reach its real destination. Secretary Water Resources said the four units of 969 MW Neelum Jehlum Hydropower Project will be fully operational by end of May this year.
He said the first unit of NJHP will commence generation during the current month. He said the political leadership should ink "Water Charter" and get it approved from the Parliament so that every government should focus on agreed water reservoirs. The Ministry of Water Resources will submit National Water Policy in the next meeting of Council of Common Interests (CCI) which will be duly represented by the Chief Ministers.
Khawaja who is running the affairs of Ministry with just with one Joint Secretary, Mehar Ali Shah, who has also been given additional charge of Pakistan Indus Water Commissioner, sensitized the committee on water reservoirs, saying "Pakistan has done nothing with respect to constructing reservoirs; we are facing critical situation of now or never. Mohamand dam (Munda dam) should be started as early as possible. The CCI has decided to start Diamar Bhasha hydropower projects with our own resources. Wapda must arrange funds from equity. The cost of projects has reached $ 15 billion (Rs 1600 billion) which could have been completed in just $ 1 billion when its concept was started 30 years ago".
"We need at least Rs 120 billion in 2018-19 and Mohmand, if we have to start work on Diamer Bhasha," he added. He said the government had allocated Rs 36 billion for 81 hydel projects against demand of 172 billion in 2017-18. The committee was informed that Finance Division is not releasing duly approved funds despite recommendations from Planning and Development Division. He said, with this pace of allocation, the on-going 35 projects will be completed from between 14 years to 32 years at current rate. He said in 2013-14, the allocation for water sector projects was 10.7 per cent out of total PSDP but this has been slashed since. Secretary Water Resources revealed that the Ministry has sought Rs 203.7 billion for 2018-19, of which Rs 126 billion has been disbursed.
According to press release, the committee was informed about the latest status of alleged construction of Kishan Ganga and Ratlay Hydel Projects by India. Pakistan has approached the World Bank to resolve the mutual disputes between India and Pakistan with regard to the Indus Water Treaty in the International Court of Arbitration rather than appointing neutral experts as it does not come under the jurisdiction of the later.
The committee also discussed the reservations of some of the provinces over the distribution of water through Water Apportionment Accord 1991. The Committee expressed concern over the absence of Secretaries of Water & Irrigation Department of provinces and decided to discuss the said agenda in the next meeting with directions to ensure presences of all the concerned Secretaries.
The committee was briefly apprised about the budgetary proposals relating to Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the next financial year 2018-19. The Committee endorsed all the budgetary proposals of the Ministry and directed to complete their on-going projects on top priority basis.
MNAs, Ch. Muhammad Tufail, Malik Ihtebar Khan, Lieutenant-Colonel Ghulam Rasul Sahi (Retd.), Sardar Mansab Ali Dogar, Rana Muhammad Ishaq, Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur, Nawab Ali Wassan, Junaid Akbar, Salim Rehman, Syed Waseem Hussain, Moulana Gohar Shah, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, Abdul Qahar Khan Wadan and Syed Ghazi Ghulab Jamal attended the meeting, besides officials of the Ministry.
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