The Hindu : Front Page : Violation of treaty will damage ties: Zardari

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Monday, Oct 13, 2008
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Violation of treaty will damage ties: Zardari

Nirupama Subramanian

“Delhi must stand by Indus Waters Treaty”

Low level of water in Chenab caused crop damage
Call for a meeting of Permanent Commission for Indus Waters

ISLAMABAD: Simmering Pakistani discontent over the perception that India is doing the country out of its fair share of Chenab waters has found expression at the highest level with President Asif Ali Zardari urging New Delhi to stand by the Indus Waters Treaty.

In a statement made on Sunday to the State-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), Mr. Zardari said a violation of the 1960 water-sharing treaty between the two countries would damage bilateral ties.

“India should not trade off important regional objectives for short-term domestic goals,” he said.

President Zardari said both countries “should reap the benefits of [their] shared border, rather than allowing that to become a burden” between them.

“Our two governments would be obliging to public sentiments if they move to strengthen the bilateral ties. However, our national interests are equally important and our government is committed to protecting them. We hope that the Indian Prime Minister would remember agreements on the judicious sharing of the Chenab waters and New Delhi would look to better relations with Pakistan,” he was quoted as saying by the APP.

Mr. Zardari said his government was pursuing the issue of India’s “violation” of the agreement at the “highest” levels.

“Pakistan would be paying a very high price for India’s move to block Pakistan’s water supply from the Chenab River. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured me in our meeting in New York that his country is seriously committed to our water sharing treaty. We expect him to stand by his commitment,” he said, adding that Pakistani officials would be taking up the issue with their Indian counterparts.

Mr. Zardari’s statement followed reports in Pakistani media that Pakistan’s Indus Waters Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah will seek compensation for the loss of the Chenab waters due to alleged blocking by India in September in order to fill Baglihar dam.

The dam was commissioned last Friday by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Recent weeks saw Pakistani officials and political leaders saying that the low level of water in the Chenab in September had caused an estimated shortage of 0.2 million acre feet, leading to extensive damage to the country’s crops. The water levels are said to have gone back to their normal levels now.

Following a formal complaint by Pakistan to India on the issue in early September, New Delhi invited Mr. Shah for talks with his Indian counterpart and an inspection of the Baglihar dam in Jammu & Kashmir. He is scheduled to leave with a delegation on October 18.

He told the Dawn newspaper that the meeting of the Permanent Commission for Indus Waters would be the first step in resolving water issues related to the Treaty.

“Unilateral blocking”

Charging India with violation of the treaty by “unilaterally blocking” the Chenab waters, Mr. Shah said it would be premature to say anything about the outcome of the upcoming meeting. But, he said, Pakistan reserved the right to take up the issue with the World Bank again if India refused to pay compensation.

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