Islamabad:
A panel of the National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that if the Pakistani commission on the waters of the Indus (PCIW) is responsible for engaging New Delhi on cross -border water issues, the dialogue table has remained empty in the last two years due to the reluctance of India to come to the negotiation table.
The Na standing committee on water resources, chaired by Ahmad ATEEQ Anwar, summoned for an in -depth briefing on the country’s main hydroelectric projects and the growing pressure caused by India’s repeated contempt for the bonds treated.
Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Muneer Wattoo, the Water Resources Syed Ali Murtaza, WAPDA president, LT Gen (Retd) Sajjad Ghani, former president of Wapda, Shakil Durrani, and the Pakistani commissioner of the Indus, Syed Mehr Ali Shah.
The agenda included updates on Dasu and Mohmand Dam’s projects under construction, as well as the status of the Neelum Jhelum hydroelectric project.
Addressing the panel, the Water Resources Secretary noted that, although the PCIW holds the brief for having launched discussions with India on shared water resources, there was a radio silence on the other side of the border.
“The Industrial Water Treaty cannot be unilaterally suspended,” said the secretary, adding that “we will bring India violations to international arbitration and other global forums”.
He said that by virtue of the treaty, Pakistan has complete rights over the three Western rivers, while India can only use a limited quantity for domestic and agricultural purposes and generate hydroelectricity without modifying the flow of the river.
“India cannot divert the flow of rivers,” he added.
The chairman of the Ahmad Atiq Anwar committee ordered the committee to be informed of six channel projects, responding to a Dawar Kundi request.
Minister Wattoo added: “Whenever the committee wishes, we will organize a visit to the Dasu dam site and facilitate meetings with affected communities”.
Wattoo has called for discussions on the assault and violations of India from the Industry Water Treaty, noting that the Common interest Council (CCI) has already resolved some of the questions.
In his briefing, the president of WAPDA, LT GEN (RETD) Sajjad Ghani, revealed that Pakistan receives 140 million acres (MAF) of water per year, but it can only store 13 MAF due to the siltation. “The country has the capacity to store up to 20 MAF, but due to the silt, current usable storage is limited to 13 MAF,” he noted.
He also explained that the silt cannot just be released, because it would damage the dams. “Damage to dams may have a serious impact on the agricultural sector,” he warned.
