Pakistan is an agricultural country and 70 percent of its population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. The main source of irrigation in Pakistan is the Indus River System.
The Indus System of Rivers comprises three western rivers — the Indus, the Jhelum and Chenab — and three eastern rivers — Sutlej, Beas and Ravi. During partition a SERIOUS injustice happened with Pakistan. Madhopur Headworks which controls the water of Ravi River and Ferozepur Headworks which controls the water of Sutlej River were allotted to India. And the sources of Jhelum and Chenab were in Kashmir which was illegally occupied by India. In April 1948, about eight months after the partition. The East Punjab province of India shut off water running to the West Punjab province of Pakistan from the Ferozepur Headworks. It was resumed after five weeks when Pakistan was forced to attend an Inter-Dominion conference to negotiate an agreement. That accord enabled India to release sufficient waters to the Pakistani regions of the basin in return for “Annual payments” from the government of Pakistan.
The critical nature of the Indian action caused deep apprehensions in Pakistan. Pakistan felt acutely threatened by a conflict over the main source of water for its cultivable land. Pakistan wanted to take the matter at that time to the International Court of Justice, but India refused, arguing that the conflict required a bilateral resolution.
In 1954, the World bank, after nearly two years of negotiation, offered proposals, The proposals offered India the three eastern tributaries of the basin and Pakistan the three western tributaries. Canals and storage dams were to be constructed to divert waters from the western rivers and replace the eastern river supply lost by Pakistan. This new distribution did not account for the historical usage of the Indus basin, or the fact that West Punjab's Eastern districts could turn into desert, Pakistan felt that its share of waters should be based on pre-partition distribution. The World Bank proposals were more in line with the Indian plan and this angered the Pakistani delegation. One of the last stumbling blocks to an agreement concerned financing for the construction of canals and storage facilities This transfer was necessary to make up for the water Pakistan was giving up by ceding its rights to the eastern rivers. The World Bank initially planned for India to pay for these works, but India refused. The Bank responded with a plan for external financing a combination of funds and loans for Pakistan. In 1960 Pakistan was forced to sign the Indus Water Treaty, because Pakistan had no other option and was not ready to go to war with India to settle water dispute. This treaty triggered a series of Destruction in Pakistan.
1st Pakistan lost its rights over 3 Eastern rivers. And Pakistan was forced to divert waters from western rivers into the Eastern rivers. It caused serious reduction of Indus river water flow in Sindh region and caused water shortage for irrigation. Not only this, it disturbed the balance of fresh and marine water flow in coastal regions of Sindh and intrusion of sea water.According to a research, 2.4 million acres of the Indus delta has been invaded by the sea and it is feared that if the present rate of sea erosion continues, the whole of Shah Bunder tehsil will vanish by 2035 and the sea will reach Thatta city by 2050.
There is a need to release at least 10 MAF water downstream Kotri to stop increasing sea intrusion. But Pakistan has no water.
.2nd New reservoirs and canals which were constructed to divert water from Western rivers into the Eastern Rivers caused Water logging and Salinity in related areas and affected thousands of acres of lands in Pakistan. It took decades to tackle this problem, by extensive planting of trees that consume large amounts of water. Such plantations helped to tackle the problem of water logging but in later years, due to shortage of water in reservoirs ,such trees rapidly reduced the underground water level.
3rd India who has full control of all the three eastern rivers Releases unlimited amount of flood water in days of flood. Such release of huge amounts of flood water, occasionally cause destruction of land crops, and loss of lives and property.
4th Water reservoirs built under this treaty, proved temporary arrangement. With passage of time high amount of silt reduced the storage capacity of these reservoirs and caused serious shortage of water. Removal of silt or building other reservoirs, require a lot of money.
5th, drawing water from western rivers into the eastern rivers also caused shortage of water in Kashmir region because these regions were not allowed to construct large water storages. It hindered the agricultural development there. And It also brought Kashmiris in confrontation with Pakistan on water shortage issue.
6th. In order to tackle water shortage issue, in Indian occupied Kashmir, India has developed and is still developing extensive system of structures to stop and store the streams that are source of this western river system. This has further reduced the flow of water in western rivers, and indirectly drying the Pakistani eastern rivers.
Shortage of water, and due to this shortage , reduction of cultivatable land, reduction of agricultural produce, droughts, famines, floods, erosion, water logging, salinity, sea intrusion, destruction of infrastructure and wastage of resources to deal such issues are SERIOUSLY AFFECTING the Pakistan’s economic growth and development to such an extent that it seems more easy to go to war with India for the control of water resources rather than continuously exhausting its resources in dealing such unending issues.
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