Under the Indus Water Treaty, the three eastern rivers were ceded to India on the understanding that the canals in north and south Punjab, thus deprived of water from Ravi and Sutlej, would get replacement water from the remaining three rivers of which Indus is the only river with surplus flow from many tributary rivers. The framers of IWT saw Pakistan as one country where if one part was deprived of water, water would be available to it from another part. They did not see Pakistan in terms of Punjab and Sindh. Under the Treaty, Mangla dam was built to replace the waters lost to India. Tarbela dam was built for future development of industry and agriculture. It increased water supplies by 25 percent and Sindh was able to cultivate 20 lakh additional acres with this increase. CJ and TP link canals were taken out from the Indus to feed south Punjab. The left bank canal at Kalabagh dam was to feed north Punjab. Without this transfer of water from the surplus to the deficient region, the very basis of the Indus Water Treaty stands nullified.
ENGR KHURSHID ANWER,
Lahore, February 24.