MPs’ panel asks WB to arbitrate on Indus Waters Treaty

ISLAMABAD: In the face of the India’s threat to Indus Water Treaty 1960 (IWT), Pakistani parliamentarians in a special combine standing committee on foreign affairs and water and power has asked the World Bank (WB) to constitute Court of Arbitration without further delay to adjudicate on issues Islamabad has raised against New Delhi’s ongoing construction on Kishanganga and Ratle Hydro Electric Plants.

The committee also asked the World Bank that till it constitutes the court of Arbitration, it must demand of India an immediate halt to ongoing construction of Ratle Dam till the issue is resolved.

Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Secretary Water and Power Mohammad Younus Dagha and Special Invitee/Expert on International Treaties Ahmer Bilal Sofi briefed the standing committees on Foreign Affairs and Water and Power on a common agenda titled “Indian threat to Indus Water Treaty and to chart out a course of action for Pakistan”.

The meeting was Co-Chaired by Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari and Muhammad Arshad Khan Leghari, MNAs and respective Chairmen of the NA standing Committees.

Ahmer Bilal Sofi while highlighting overall Water disputes among the states in different parts of the world and particularly on IWT with different legal dimensions and available options and recommendations for Pakistan. He said that the time, the treaty was finalized between India and Pakistan in 1960, the international law was different than of now. Pakistan is not the only country facing such a situation.

There is different point of views if you look into this matter with the eye of an engineer and security analyst. An engineer will tell that construction of dams was not a violation of the treaty unless India keeps releasing water according to the agreement and not stops it. While, a security experts will say that by building these dams India will become in a strategically strong position.

Bilal advised that the standing committee on foreign affairs should write to Indian Lok Sabha, Human rights council and World Bank regarding this issue.

Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said that this treaty was a matter of life and death for Pakistan. He said that World Bank is not a decision maker but can work as facilitator in holding talks between both the countries if a party was violating the treaty. The Bank was not guarantor of IWT signed in 1960 between Indian and Pakistan in Karachi, but brokered the treaty and facilitated negotiations between the two neighbor Asian countries. 

He said that Pakistan has a very just stand on this treaty, while India is endangering it. “We will not allow India to violate this treaty. We also expect from World Bank and International Court to safeguard this treaty.”

Secretary Water and Power said that government has decided to start work on Diamer-Bhasha dam from its own resources. Under the Indus water treaty, on the western rivers India can stock water to a certain limit.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf said that the Confrontation with India on water is increasing and at a time it would reach such a position that everybody will forget the Kashmir issue.

Mehmood Khan Achakzai said that Pakistan should not touch the controversial issues [Kalabagh Dam] and instead build other small and big dams. We should have resolve water issues with India and Afghanistan on permanent basis.

He said that we have no treaty with Afghanistan on rivers that flowing into Pakistan.  These committees unanimously approved a draft resolution that states, “It must in accordance with its responsibilities under the IWT, without further delay constitute the court of Arbitration to adjudicate on issues raised by Pakistan against India’s ongoing construction of KG and Ratle Hydro Electric plants. Till the World Bank constitutes the court of Arbitration, it must demand of India an immediate halt to ongoing construction of Ratle Dam till the issue is resolved.”

The Members who attended the meeting are: Sahibzada Muhammad Nazeer Sultan, Mian Najeebuddin Awaisi, Mr. Muhammad Khan Daha, Ms. Tahmina Daultana, Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan, Dr Nafisa Shah, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Hussain Qureshi, Dr. Shireen Mehrunnisa Mazari, Dr Muhammad Farooq Sattar, Ghous Bux Khan Maher, Naeema Kishwar Khan, Mehmood Khan Achakzai and Senior Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Water & Power also attended the meeting.