Pakistan has urged India to reconsider its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty. With IWT in abeyance, India has been expediting stalled hydroelectric projects in J&K
Even as Pakistan feels the heat of India’s diplomatic and economic measures, one decision has hurt the country the most – the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
Fearing a water crisis, Pakistan has now reached out to India. “Syed Ali Murtaza, Secretary of Pakistan’s Ministry of Water Resources, wrote a letter to the Secretary of India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti a few days ago. In the letter, an appeal was made to reconsider the decision of putting the IWT in abeyance,” an official source told CNN-News18.
The treaty was put in abeyance based on a decision of the cabinet committee on security (CCS) on April 23, a day after the Pahalgam terror attack which killed 26. “We will not give them a single drop of water, come what may,” Jal Shakti minister CR Patil had told News18 after the CCS took the decision. India had also announced that it will stop sharing flood warnings with Pakistan.
India has considered all options, which include taking long-, mid- and short-term measures on the water flow, which will now remain restricted, said sources. For the past two weeks, water has been released to Pakistan on multiple occasions, they said.
However, as summer approaches, the government is likely to shut the tap.
‘ATTACK ON OUR ECONOMY’: WHAT PAKISTAN SAID
“We have responded to the Indian letters by conveying that the treaty remains fully in force and is binding on the parties. There is no provision in the treaty to hold it in abeyance. The Indus Waters Treaty has been successful water sharing arrangement between the two neighbouring countries. The treaty has withstood tests of wars and standoffs…,” said Pakistan in the letter, according to sources.
“Holding in abeyance of Indus water treaty is unilateral and illegal…Pakistan is an agrarian economy. Millions of people are dependent on the water being regulated by this treaty. The Indian decision is equivalent to an attack on the people of Pakistan and its economy,” it added.
As per the 1960 treaty, India got around 30% of the total water carried by the Indus River System located in India, while Pakistan got the remaining 70%.
CENTRE’S KEY MEETING THIS WEEK
In response to the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in airstrikes. After a conflict for four days, a ceasefire was announced on May 10. The Indian government, however, maintained that the IWT will remain in abeyance.
With the IWT suspended, the Modi government is expected to take major steps toward completing the stalled hydroelectric projects. A key meeting is likely to be held this week with Home Minister Amit Shah, along with Water Resources Minister Patil, Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and senior officials from all related ministries. Since the suspension of the IWT, two meetings have already taken place between Shah, Patil, and top officials of the ministry.
PROJECTS THAT CAN GO ON IN FULL FORCE
India, meanwhile, aims to accelerate the stalled hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir. Under the IWT, India had to give six months’ notice to Pakistan before starting any new project. With the suspension, this is no longer necessary, and data sharing will also cease. It is now possible to initiate new projects on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers and to revive Wular Lake.
With the treaty suspended, six hydroelectric projects are expected to gain momentum:
- Sawalkot Project (1,856 MW): Proposed on the Chenab river in the Ramban and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir
- Pakal Dul (1,000 MW)
- Ratle (850 MW)
- Bursar (800 MW)
- Kiru (624 MW)
- Kirthai I and II (Total 1,320 MW)
With the completion of these hydroelectric projects, Jammu and Kashmir could generate up to 10,000 megawatts of electricity. Additionally, the availability of water for irrigation and drinking could increase significantly.