Envoy to US calls fair water distribution between Pakistan, India vital for regional stability

This representational file photo shows a general view of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project on October 31, 2017. (AFP/File)

• Pakistan took India to an international court after objecting to the design of its hydropower projects in Kashmir
• Ambassador Masood Khan says violations of Indus Water Treaty have led to drought and flooding in his country

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top diplomat in the United States emphasized the significance of fair water distribution between India and his country on Friday evening after an international court started its proceedings to address Islamabad’s concerns over the design of two hydroelectric power projects by New Delhi on River Jhelum and Chenab.
Addressing a seminar on Pakistan’s energy and water security landscape, Ambassador Masood Khan said the administration in Islamabad was closely working with Washington to develop a climate resilient ecosystem since it was currently quite sensitive to extreme weather patterns.
He maintained that energy, water and regional security depended on the implementation of Indus Water Treaty which was signed by Pakistan and India in September 1960, adding that Indian construction of dams in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir was causing numerous problems to his country.
“Building a number of dams on the upper riparian parts of the rivers under Indian control eroded trust and created myriad of crises for Pakistan that included flooding, droughts, water scarcity and disruption of energy supplies,” the envoy was quoted as saying by the Associated Press of Pakistan news agency. “The outstanding issues must be resolved quickly and definitively.”
Pakistani authorities have long expressed their reservations over India’s construction of the 330-megawatt Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project on River Jhelum and 850-megawatt Ratle Hydroelectric Project on River Chenab.
It indulged in bilateral engagement with New Delhi for years before requesting for the establishment a Court of Arbitration in The Hague to address its concerns.
Indian officials, however, boycotted the proceedings before telling the international media they had asked Pakistan to change the water-sharing agreement to prevent third parties from intervening in such disputes.
“With the help of the international financial institutions, we have initiated reforms for water conservation, transition to modern agricultural technologies, re-afforestation, waste-water management and water metering,” Ambassador Khan said.
He also noted that Pakistan needed to further diversify its energy mix by decreasing its dependence on oil and gas imports and focusing on indigenous resources.