Water insurance

One of the key decisions announced by India, in the aftermath of the terrorist attack in IIOJK’s Pahalgam area on April 22, is the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. Brokered by the World Bank in 1960, the treaty governs water sharing between India and Pakistan. Given that India is the upper riparian, its unilateral abrogation of the IWT could have some very painful consequences for Pakistan. The country is already facing a severe water crisis, with dwindling freshwater resources, inefficient management and growing demand. While fighting our case in international bodies and ensuring India is held to account for its illegal steps is important, we must also simultaneously upgrade our water infrastructure and management to ensure our security.

Air Cdre (r) M Khalid Kamal

Islamabad