KARACHI: Jang Group Managing Director Shahrukh Hasan said that a large number of Indian journalists will arrive in Pakistan soon to talk about the role of the media in defusing tensions. A code of conduct for the media will likely be chalked out during a two-day conference; issues regarding media coverage beyond conflict will also be discussed.
He said this while speaking about the significance of ‘Aman Ki Asha,’ which was launched by the Times of India and the Jang Group, in their quest for peace.
Speaking at the function organised by Karachi Council on Foreign Relations (KCFR) and the Pakistan-India Citizens Friendship Forum (PICFF), Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Sharat Sabharwal, said the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), which was established under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960, should be used more effectively to address the water problems between India and Pakistan,. Around 104 meetings have been called thus far under the PIC.
Sabharwal was He said that the Commission could function as a ‘consultative dispute avoidance body’ and solicit opinions regarding technology from national and international experts. The Commission could then work towards the implementation of these suggestions.
The PIC, Sabharwal said, was the best forum to resolve all such matters, while Article IX of the IWT provided a mechanism for settlement of the differences and disputes which are beyond the purview of the PIC.
The IWT provides an ‘elaborate framework’ for the distribution of water and resolution of disputess, he said. The Indian envoy, however, regretted that some quarters in Pakistan had made attempts to ‘inflame public passions’ over the water issue. ‘Angry statements’ targeting India can neither increase the quantity of available water, nor can such statements become a substitute for the mechanism in the IWT to resolve differences regarding its implementation, he maintained.
Sabharwal said that New Delhi had no ‘storage and diversion canals network’ to withhold Pakistan’s share of water, and all claims to the contrary were baseless allegations.
The IWT itself was the result of eight years of negotiations over water issues between India and Pakistan, with the help of the World Bank. The treaty laid down the framework to resolve disputes through bilateral means, neutral experts or a court of arbitration, he said, adding that the IWT also permitted “limited use” of water of Western Rivers by India for “domestic use, agriculture use, generation of hydroelectric power etc,” subject to conditions to protect the interests of Pakistan.
India had this far not utilised its entitlement to the waters of the Western Rivers, he said, adding that India had undertaken 33 hydroelectric projects, out of which 20 had a capacity of 10 megawatt (MW) or less. “Of late, it has been alleged in Pakistan that India was responsible for its water shortage. These claims have nothing to do with reality,” the envoy said. “New Delhi had provided Pakistan its share of water even during the wars of 1965 and 1971, and during other periods of tense relations.”
He pointed out that reduced flow of water into Pakistan from time to time was not the result of any violation of the IWT by India or any action on its part to divert such flows or to use more than assigned share of water from the Western Rivers. Instead, water flows in the rivers depended on melting of snow and quantum of rainfall. He said that India had also suffered serious droughts in 2009 and rainfall during the monsoon season was 20 per cent less than normal. Even winter rains have fallen far short of normal.
Water flows in the three Western Rivers have followed a curve moving up and down, depending upon climate factors from year to year, Sabharwal said, adding had there been any truth to the allegations of India building infrastructure to progressively deprive Pakistan of its share of water, the water flows would have showed a progressive decline.
Under the IWT, India had provided information of all projects to Pakistan, which sometimes resulted in ‘endless delays and cost over-run,’ he said. “In the case of the Baglihar project on Chenab, for instance, neutral experts, at the request of Pakistan in 2005, upheld India’s design approach and suggested only minor changes in the scope of construction,” he said.
He also urged Pakistan to adopt better water management and avoid wastage of water in time of increasing scarcity.
Referring to the Pakistan Water Sector Strategy Report of 2002 and the World Bank’s report of 2005, the Indian envoy said that much of the water infrastructure in Pakistan was in a state of disrepair and water loss between canal heads and farms was around 30 per cent.
“We need to resolve all outstanding issues in an environment free from terrorism,” he said, adding that no treaty could work without trust; and the IWT had developed a degree of trust.
Lt. Gen. (retd) Moinuddin Haider of the KCFR said that composite dialogue should bring some progress on issues and it should not be restricted to talks only. He said that India has to show greater generosity of spirit in order to settle problems. The Pakistani leadership had realised that extremism and terrorism would destroy the country and had made Herculean efforts to control it, he said, adding that Pakistan needed sympathetic views from India on this issue. In a light mood, he wondered how much water was left for Pakistan after India built 33 hydroelctric projects.
Liaquat Merchant of the PICFF said that confidence-building measures were a means to settle disputes and both countries had no option but to become friends.
