A sharp decline in river water flow has been witnessed in Pakistan’s three largest provinces; Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ever since India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on April 23. The action has intensified Pakistan’s water crisis, particularly prior to the all-important late Kharif season.
As per official data accessed by CNN-News18, the water inflow in Pakistan up to June 20 is almost 20% less than the corresponding period last year. Punjab has witnessed a reduction to 1,10,500 cusecs from 1,30,800 cusecs. Sindh has come down from 1,70,000 cusecs to 1,33,000 cusecs. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has registered water at 2,600 cusecs compared to last year’s 2,900 cusecs.
These estimates are in line with Pakistan’s previous estimates of a 21% deficiency in water availability in the Kharif season, which extends from June to September.
India’s Plans to Upgrade Infrastructure
India is planning to connect the Indus and Chenab rivers with the Beas through a 160-kilometre-long tunnel, potentially diverting water further into the Indian heartland, all the way to Gangasagar. If done, this would further cut back the available water for Pakistan, further deteriorating the already tenuous situation.
It was last month that Pakistan made a formal announcement of a “crisis having been caused by Indian short supplies in Chenab River,” warning that it would heavily affect agricultural planning in the Kharif season.
Diplomatic Pleas and Strict Indian Stance
Islamabad has forwarded four formal missives asking New Delhi to re-examine the suspension of the treaty. India is still strict on its stand, however, stating that the IWT will still remain suspended.
India’s stand was emphasized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a speech in Gujarat on May 27. “Should they receive their due share of water or not? And I haven’t done much so far. Currently, we have said that we have put (Indus Waters Treaty) in abeyance. They are fearful there, and we have begun cleaning by opening the dam a bit; we are clearing the trash that existed,” he said.
Background of the Indus Waters Treaty
The Indus Waters Treaty, negotiated by the World Bank and signed in 1960, assigned water from the three eastern rivers—Beas, Ravi, and Sutlej—to India, and rights over the western rivers—Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum—in Pakistan. The treaty also provided for certain joint uses, including non-storage hydropower projects on other people’s rivers.
Prime Minister Modi also criticized the conditions of the decades-old agreement in his Gujarat speech. “I want to tell the new generation how the country has been destroyed. If you go into its details, you will be surprised. It has even been decided that cleaning work of dams constructed on other rivers of Jammu and Kashmir will not be carried out. Desilting will not be carried out.”. The downstream cleaning gates will not be opened. These gates were never opened for 60 years, and the water that was supposed to be filled with 100% water slowly decreased to 2-3%,” he added.
With river levels perilously low, Pakistan is now counting on the monsoon season to give its agricultural economy some relief and ease increasing water shortages.