War or peace on the Indus

PEACE is the burning issue in the world. Scholars and thinkers suggest to forget bitter past and to take better opportunity for bright and peaceful future. But the dream of friendship and peace cannot be achieved through hypocritical means, as the Chankian state of India always proved its insincerity to destroy the neighboring countries especially Pakistan. Hence, justice is the only way for peace between the two atomic powers. So many scholars and thinkers of western world suggest a new era to remove conflict between Pakistan and India. They advise to adopt third option to resolve their issues. Kashmir and Indus water are major issues between the two countries. John Briscoe, a senior advisor of World Bank, has written in details on the Indus water conflict between the two countries. He said: I have deep affection for the people of both India and Pakistan and I see a looming train wreck on the Indus , with disastrous consequences for both countries. Is there an inherent conflict between India and Pakistan ? He answered himself. The simple answer is no, The Indus water Treaty allocates the water of the three western rivers to Pakistan , but allows India to tap the considerable hydropower potential of the Chenab and Jhelum before the rivers enter Pakistan . He further writes: The qualification is that this use of hydropower is not to affect either the quantity of water reaching Pakistan or to interfere with the natural timing of those flows. Since hydropower does not consume water, the only issue is timing. And timing is a very big issue, because agriculture in the Pakistani plains depends not only on how much water comes, but that it comes in critical periods during the planting season. Here he rises a question. Is the Indus Treaty a stable basis for cooperation? He writes: If Pakistan and India had normal, trustful relations, there would be a mutually-verified monitoring process which would assure that there is no change in the flows going into Pakistan . (In an even more ideal world, India could increase low-flows during the critical planting season, with significant benefit to Pakistani farmers and with very small impacts on power generation in India .) Because the relationship was not normal when the treaty was negotiated, Pakistan would agree only if limitation on India s capacity to manipulate the timing of flow was hardwired into the treaty. This was done by limiting the amount of live storage in each and every hydropower dam that India would construct on the two rivers. Here it is noted that at the times of negotiation for Indus Treaty, it was shown clearly, India can deflect the Beas into the Sutlej above Bhakra or divert the Ravi into the Beas at Madhopur. It could construct a dam on Wular lake in the Kashmir valley and dry up the river Jehlum. A headwork on the Chenab at Dhiangarh, north of Jammu could deflect the Chenab from its natural course into Pakistan . The major project of Bhakra, Pong and Them dams then in the offing, if completed, could drain off the rivers of Satlej, Beas and Ravi . According to Indus Water Treaty, India is bound to release all water of the Western rivers into Pakistan . There is no question to build huge water storage for hydropower plants. India can build hydropower plant on the flow of the river only. Just like Ghazi Brotha hydropower project on indus and kohala at Jhelum , there is not storage. No gate is required for flushing silt out of the dams, thus ensuring that any dam on the flow of the river would not fill with the silt pouring off the reservoir. Thinkers just like John Briscoe may observe, it was struck, India has completely drain off the three Eastern rivers Satlej, Beas and Ravi with the help of Indus Water Treaty, now wants to take more benefits by Western rivers. Now he want to shake Indus Water Treaty 1960, which permit limited benefits of hydropower projects on the flow of the rivers. Decision of Neutral Expert on Baglijar Dam is totally unjustified example. He looks only, how Indian power plant works successfully. He should note, How the 30 million people of Western Punjab was effected by the drain off three Eastern rivers with the help of Jndus Treaty, but this is all due to International pact between India and Pakistan. India may tolerate the effects of flow of the river hydropower projects as 30 million people of Western Punjab tolerate the effects of drain off three Eastern rivers. If India wants much facilities at Western rivers, has to resolve 37 million acre ft water which he deflect to Rajistan and other areas of India , but it is seen impossible. Thinkers have to know the factual responsibility of Indian press which is working under the obligation and instructions of ministry of external affairs. It is a preplanned theorem to destroy the green valley of Pakistan . Irrigation record clearly shows, just after the freedom of Pakistan , India stopped the Pakistani canal waters became worst position of agriculture in Pakistan . In 1992 India release huge quantity of water by dams which are constructed against the Indus Treaty in the rivers of Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi . Pakistan suffer huge lose in its economy. During last years, so many times water of river Chenab is stopped in the growing season. We have been facing so many harmful damages by India . John Briscoe and so many thinkers express us to salute the supremacy of India , which is not practicable. We want peace in the world and in our territory but not in the cost of our freedom. India and other international powers, who want peace in the sub-continent, justice is only the way for peace. The writer is the president of Sind Tas Water Council Pakistan (Sindtaswatercouncil@gmail.com)

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