Pakistan’s former Indus Water Commissioner has claimed the World Bank (WB), the arbitrator between Islamabad and New Delhi over an ongoing water dispute, bowed to Indian pressure.
“In my view the World Bank has bowed to Indian pressure which in turn is stalling on the process of resolution by a Court of Arbitration (CoA),” Jamait Ali Shah said during an interview with The Third Pole, a non-profit organisation. Shah added that Pakistan had approached the WB to set up the CoA as a last resort only after it failed to resolve the issue bilaterally with its arch rival.
India recently revealed its intentions to block waters flowing into Pakistan. However, Islamabad took an exception to the Indian designs, saying any such move would be taken as open aggression. Pakistan disputed India’s move to construct two power plants – the 330-megawatt Kishanganga hydropower plant and 850-megawatt Ratle hydroelectric power plant. The power plants are being built by India on the Kishanganga and Chenab rivers respectively.
An exercise in futility
According to the ex-commissioner, the WB’s request to restart bilateral negotiations at the level of the Indus Commission is going to be an exercise in futility. “To my mind, this dilly-dallying on the part of the Bank only reinforces the latter’s intention to give impetus to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s threat of scrapping the treaty,” he posited.
Shah went on to suggest that it was very alarming for Islamabad and there had been a suspicion that India was pushing Pakistan for a Treaty II only on the western rivers, the waters of which were allocated to the latter in 1960. “That is why the Bank and the US are seen debating it and dictating Pakistan for an amicable resolution (revision in the treaty). Or at least India wants to get out of the restriction laid down on them in the IWT regarding western rivers, as India cannot liberally utilise these waters as per its will and demand,” he said.
Ministry’s disinterest adds to the damage
In response to a question regarding what strategy should Pakistan adopt in face of the growing hastily from its eastern neighbour, the former commissioner said the disinterest in matters of the ministry of water and power had added to the damage.
“Pakistan first notified India for resolution of the questions (on Kishanganga and Ratle projects) by a NE (neutral expert) and then withdrew it, then approached the Bank for a CoA,” he said adding that it was an issue to be resolved by the NE being technical/design in nature.
According to Shah, processing the issue through CoA was not required. “But the question that comes to mind is to look deeper in the vested interest in the deadlock,” he said. “Who is guiding Pakistan to go round in circles? Most importantly, who engaged the two law firms in Washington DC which decided to process the case for CoA through the Bank?”
Claiming that many people aim to benefit from the case being taken from one authority to another, Shah said the expenses incurred were Rs300 million of which Rs190 million have already been paid.
Courtesy: The Third Pole
Pakistan can't survive without its rivers. This dispute could spiral into a nuclear exchange. World must take notice of it.
We shall have our part of our state of J&K back from Pakistan. It was part of Bharat much before the Islamic Muhammad was born in Arab land 1400+ years ago. Named after Rishi Kashyap (Rishi approximate translation is Saint). Please trash all your religious views on our state of J&K. We are secular and we have Buddhist majority region in Ladakh, Shia majority living peacefully with Ladhakis, Hindu/Sikh majority in Jammu region and Muslim majority in Kashmir valley which is just 17% total area of our J&K state. Bangladesh was too a Muslim majority part of before kicking out former Pakistan. Please read the UN conditions on plebiscite which are; (1) The attacker Pakistan will vacate all areas of J&K. (2) UN peacekeepers will come in and monitor the withdrawal of occupation forces of Pakistan. (3) Then the plebiscite will be carried out in accordance to wishes of all areas/ regions of formerly princely state of Maharaja of Kashmir.
Thanks for the useless history lesson. In what alternate Universe do you think the overwhelming majority of Kashmiris, Baltis, Chitralis, and others are going to vote to join India. The debate is between independence or Pakistan. India is a complete outsider to the entire region of Kashmir and Northern Areas. No one wants you here. Get out!!!!!!
Mut you have demonstrated that you can only mutter and babble street shouting madrassa educated insignificant beings. Good self serving and satisfying comments. I have lived in J&K state in valley area for 8 years and I know practically better than you lies fed foreigner Pakistanis. You occupied Baluchistan. The overwhelming Muslim majority of total J&K population lives in hardly 17% area of J&K state. They surely arent supported by other people. And hardly 5-9 % Sunni Kashmiri Muslims want to join Pakistan. You have nothing to offer to the Kashmiris you assume what to join you. Remember your reputation outside Pakistan is of a begger state who harbours all global Islamic terrorists and your rouge army protected Osama Bin Laden and likes like him like Hafeez sayeed etc. I have seen how Pakistanis are treated outside in USA and they desperately tell their foreparents origin from an Indian city. Your cyber shouting and denying the truth will have no impact on reality which I told in my two posts of my first hand experience. Also remember there is no debate as for Kashmiri Shia Muslims you Pakis dont exist and they dont care about you. Go feel good on spoon fed, madrassa aired knowledge.
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