SLAMABAD:
A National Assembly panel was informed on Wednesday that while the Pakistan Commission on Indus Waters (PCIW) is responsible for engaging India on transboundary water issues, there has been no dialogue for the past two years due to India’s consistent refusal to come to the negotiating table.
The NA Standing Committee on Water Resources, chaired by Ahmad Ateeq Anwar, held a comprehensive briefing on the country’s major hydropower initiatives and the growing tensions caused by what was described as India’s repeated violations of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Muneer Wattoo, Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza, WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani, former WAPDA chairman Shakil Durrani, and Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner Syed Mehr Ali Shah were present at the session.
Updates were provided on several key projects, including the under-construction Dasu and Mohmand Dams and the operational status of the Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project.
Addressing the committee, the water resources secretary highlighted that although the PCIW is tasked with initiating talks with India, there has been no response or willingness from the Indian side. “The Indus Waters Treaty cannot be unilaterally suspended,” the secretary affirmed, adding that “we will take India’s violations to international arbitration and other global forums”. He further underlined Pakistan’s rights under the treaty, stating that the country has full control over the three western rivers, while India is only permitted limited usage for domestic, agricultural, and non-consumptive hydropower generation. “India cannot divert the flow of rivers,” he added.
Chairman Ahmad Ateeq Anwar requested a detailed briefing on six canal projects following a query from member Dawar Kundi.
Minister Wattoo assured the committee of continued transparency and cooperation. “Whenever the committee wishes, we will arrange a visit to the Dasu Dam site and facilitate meetings with affected communities.” He also urged for more focused discussions on India’s water aggression and ongoing treaty violations, pointing out that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) had already addressed some of these matters.
WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani, in his presentation, disclosed that Pakistan receives approximately 140 million acre-feet (MAF) of water annually. However, due to sedimentation in reservoirs, only 13 MAF is currently usable. “The country has the capacity to store up to 20 MAF, but due to silt, current usable storage is limited to 13 MAF,” he noted. He also emphasized the complexity of managing siltation, stating that “silt cannot simply be released, as it would damage the barrages”. Such damage, he warned, would have severe consequences for Pakistan’s agriculture sector.
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