India has been exploiting IWT as a weapon of water war against Pakistan by building dams and other works on our Western Rivers; the Chenab, Jhelum and the Indus in flagrant violation of the Treaty. It seemed as if Jamaat Ali Shah was more a lapdog of India than watchdog for Pakistan, allegedly rewarded handsomely. His pro-India role appeared more clearly in his failure regarding construction of 190 feet high Nimoo-Bazgo dam in Leh district. Another dam being built by India was the 140 feet high Chuttak on the Suru River, a tributary of the Indus in Kargil district. Jamaat Shah did not visit either of the dams built by India in blatant breach of IWT. Another report added that he “has provided a cushion to the Indian government on Siachen by remaining silent during the period 2007-2009 and not raising any objection during Pak-Indian talks at Pre-eminent Commission on Indus Waters.” The said projects will reduce flows of the Indus River, the lifeline of Pakistan. Shah also seemed of help to India regarding the controversial 425 feet high Baglihar Dam on the Chenab in held Kashmir. India had notified Pakistan of its intention to build Baglihar dam 6 months in advance in 1992 as required under IWT. Pakistan raised objections to its design. Shah wasted 13 years in fruitless correspondence with Indian counterpart before moving the World Bank in 2005 for appointment of a Neutral Expert. It gave India enough time to complete 85 percent of the project. Neutral Expert released his verdict on 12 February 2007. It was a win-win decision for India. But the then Minister Water and Power and Mr. Jamaat Shah celebrated the verdict as a “great victory for Pakistan.” Similarly Mr. Shah took extraordinary long time to refer complaint to International Court of Arbitration at the Hague late in 2010 regarding  Kishanganga project  being built in infringement of  the Treaty by India on the Kishanganga River (Neelum in Pakistan) a tributary of the Jhelum in held Kashmir.
As Chairman of Save Water Save Pakistan Forum and Ex Chief Advisor of United Nations I appeal the Chief Justice of Pakistan to order a judicial inquiry commission headed by a Supreme Court Judge including a Chief Engineer of Punjab Irrigation Department experienced in the operation of canal networks as a technical member and also a lawyer well versed in international law particularly of riparian water rights, to probe the matter of deliberate negligence of duty by Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah who escaped to Canada despite his name being on the Exit Control List. He held a vital post regarding the implementation of Indus Water Treaty. A probe also found him guilty of having failed to take effective steps against the construction of Nimoo Bazgo Dam on the Indus by India in occupied Kashmir in infringement of the Treaty. There is an urgent need for an independent inquiry into the mechanism and the working in the matters relating to Indus Water Treaty implementation.
ENGR. BASHIR A. MALIK,
Lahore, February 10.