According to reports, India has resumed construction work on the Wullar Barrage, compelling Pakistan to turn to the international court of arbitration. It is quite obvious that the barrage, once complete, would allow India to store, control and divert River Jhelum flowing downstream. It would constitute a clear breach of the Indus Waters Treaty. But for the situation to reach this end, Pakistan also has contributed to it. Bland statements barely denouncing the Indian construction activity coupled with perfunctory talks have been the norm so far. First, it was the Kishanganga project whose case we lost because of slackness, then Baglihar Dam with which India got away again for the same reasons followed up by Nimoo Bazgo hydroelectric plant and now Wullar Barrage. These are, as of now only some of the large dams; India plans to build even larger dams, including the one in the Kargil areas.
Crops and agricultural lands inside Pakistan have already started to suffer growing water shortage; many of the tributaries and streams on the river Indus have dried up. Quaid-i-Azam could not be more right in calling Kashmir as Pakistan’s jugular vein that he knew our eastern neighbour would lose no opportunity to sever. A timely resolution of the conflict is necessary.