Just left behind ISIS, the rising water crises are supposed to be a biggest threat of all the threats to world. Most of the observers are forecasting a devastating armed contest between Pakistan and India in future because Pakistan’s water crisis has been exacerbated and India is one of main reasons for this. We know that Pakistan is agriculture based country. Our ninety percent of Pakistan’s water resources are dedicated to agriculture, leaving only ten percent for drinking and sanitation. In the past few decades, Pakistan has seen a move toward large-scale farmers producing high-value crops that supposedly create more jobs per unit of land and water. As a result, most of the country’s major crops are water-intensive, such as sugarcane and rice, and further aggravate the country’s water problems. UN World Water Development Report found that 3,072 lives and US $16 billion were lost in Pakistan due to flooding from 2010-12, which caused an increase in country’s inflation and unemployment rates. The IMF also warned that water scarcity poses a threat to the entire Pakistan economy since agriculture remains an economic cornerstone, comprising twenty-five percent of GDP growth. Furthermore, Pakistan’s water storage capacity has dropped down to 30 days only which was 80 days in 1970 and 92 days in early seventies, , compared to the international standard of 120 days. On the other hand, USA’s water storage capacity is 900 days, Canada’s is 700, China’s is more than 380 days and India’s capacity has overtaken to 200 days from 120 days in 2004. This means only 1000 cubic meters of water are available per person per year, which is approximately five times less than was available at the country’s inception in 1947. By 2020, water availability will further reduce to less than five hundred cubic meters per capital per year, making Pakistan water-scarce. Asian Development Bank (ADB) has declared Pakistan as one of the most water stressed countries of world even having a biggest canal system. The main reasons of current water crises in Pakistan including India’s violation of Indus Water Treaty are climate change, the prioritization of agriculture, underpriced water, poor management and lack of political will.
As we all knows that Indus Water Treaty (1960) [IWT] gives exclusive rights to India over Eastern Rivers only and restricts India to build any dam or man-made structure over Western Rivers but controversy arose with the manipulation of provisions of IWT by India first time in 1984 with the construction of Wullar Barrage over River Jhelum near the mouth of Wular Lake in Kashmir without consulting, informing and showing design to Pakistan which enraged Pakistani authorities. India continued violation with construction of an extremely complex Kishan ganga dam having 27-km long tunnel to divert water of Neelum from its natural course. This plan is going to change 100-km to link it to Jhelum at Wular Lake near Bandipur. Presently, The Neelum and Jhelum rivers join each other at Muzafarabad at a point called Domial. Through proposed Wular Barrage, India claims to maintain constant yearly flow in Jhelum but in reality this 100-km diversion of the Neelum River in Pakistan Neelum Valley could dry up and become desert. URI hydro project is next on Pakistan River Jhelum. However despite strong resentment and criticism from Pakistani side, India once again violated the IWT and built 143 meters high BUGLIHAR dam on River Chenab in mid-90. India has built 14 hydroelectric projects on Chenab including 113 meters high SALAL dam (1973), DUL HASTI dam in Kishtwar district and TAWI-RAVI link. India is further planning to build more plants on Chenab including PAKAL DUAL, THE BURSAZ Hydroelectric Projects and other Chenab Basin Projects which will enable to block entire water of Chenab for 20-25 days. Chenab River provides water of 21 canals and irrigation about 7 million acres of agriculture land in Punjab, Pakistan. Above all that, Indus River is the largest river in Pakistan. Indus River starts from China and reaches Jammu and Kashmir region, flow there for a kilometer and then cross through Northern areas of Pakistan. It covers almost the distance of 1700-km and finally falls into Arabia Sea. According to media reports, Indian Parliament approves construction of 500-km long train track from Hamachel Pardesh to Ladank which would be utilized for transportation of construction material for Kargil dam. Nimoo Bazgo dam of length 57 meters is under construction on main Indus River. Furthermore, The Dumkhaz Project envisages construction of a 42 meters high concrete gravity dam across Indus River. India Belligerence is one of the major Indus River’s tributary branches. Adding to that, India is pursuing to Afghanistan for building a big dam on Kabul River so that its flow into the River Indus of Pakistan can be blocked. According to a research, Pakistan would duffer 16 to 17 percent drop in water supply from Afghanistan after construction of dams on Kabul River.
According to the coordinator of World Water Assembly, Mr. Zahoor ul Haq
“Indian water terrorism, posed more serious threat to Pakistan than Taliban”
Except all that, poor management and lack of political will are also reasons of current water crises. As Mangla, Tarbeela and Warsik dams have spent more than 60% of their life. The production of Tarbeela dam in 1980 was 3200-MW which has reduced to 2300-MW on its full capacity in emergency and 1800-MW in normal days. The construction of new dams in our country can be proved as a decisive factor to solve water crises. As Kala Bagh dam can increase 45 days, Basha 38 days, Khushal dam 29 days and Kurantangi dam can increase 9 days water storage capacity. According to World Bank Report, Pakistan can generate electricity about 54000 MW by making dams on Indus River and we have only one dam on it. Basha Dam was initiated in 2004, land was requisitioned in 2013 but government did not make any arrangements for 60 percent effectives of dam. In FY 2011-12, government allocated 120 billion which was later reduced to 18 billion only. Inter Provincial distribution of water was also signed in 192 and share of all provinces was specified. Wastage of water and immense tube welling are other main factors of rising water crises in Pakistan. According to a research most of the water is used by mega farmers and 40 percent plus wastage of water is because of extra time used by mega farmers.
Fairly speaking, on one side we are blaming India for stealing our water for generation of electricity and irrigation and on the other hand we wasted almost 38 MAf water every year in sea. We Pakistani by wasting sweet water in the sea, are doing a crime and sin against humanity One figure states that around 40-55 million Pakistanis do not have regular access to drinking water and around 630 Pakistani children die each day to the waterborne illness of diarrhea.
Basically we need new dams on urgent basis, revised inter provincial distribution and policy to stop wastage of water and should give it a constitutional cover. If we do not pay a considerable attention towards water crises then this is a sure as death that draught will be the future of Pakistan
Khuram Butt 