PM Modi to deliberate on pros and cons of Indus Waters Treaty on Monday

According to ANI sources, Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti and senior officials will brief PM Modi on the Indus Water Treaty on Monday. PM will be discussing the pros and cons of taking action against Pakistan, and that reconsidering the details of Indus Water Treaty might be one of the possible moves to cause discomfort to Pakistan.

The Indus Water Treaty was signed between Pandit Nehru and Pak president General Ayub Khan in 1960. The treaty has stood two full-scale wars and withdrawing the treaty has risks since it’s an international agreement and legally India can’t withdraw from it alone. The Indus originated in China, who haven't signed any international treaties, and if it plays foul, then India could lose as much as much as 36% river water. Under the original agreement India has rights over three rivers that flow westward  - Sutlej, Beas and Ravi – while Pakistan receives water from the other three – Jhelum, Chenab and Indus.

There was no confirmation of the reports. The officials of the ministries of Water Resources and External Affairs denied any such knowledge of a meeting being convened by the Prime Minister. There have been consistent calls in India that the government scrap the water distribution pact to mount pressure on Pakistan in the aftermath of audacious Uri terror attack earlier this week. Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, water of six river - Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum - were to be shared between the two countries.

Pakistan has been complaining of not receiving enough water and gone for international arbitration in couple of cases. 

Former diplomat Rajiv Dogra told ANI: “Taking a step against Pak artists I'm not in favour of. As a State, individuals aren’t affected. Most Favoured Nation status to Pak should be withdrawn, our nationals should be advised its dangerous to go to Pak. Look at prisoner Ansari in Pak, he has finished his jail term and yet we aren't allowed consular access to him. It will need a lot of effort and time if India wants Pakistan to be isolated. Indus Waters Treaty has a provision for revision. First we should ascertain the reality and the facts. Last week Pakistan Parl passed a irresolution asking for revision of Indus Waters Treaty. We will be fooling ourselves if we think we will any violate international law if we revise Indus Waters Treaty."

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said a rethink was required on the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960, as Pakistan has been consistent in not respecting it.  The Indus Waters treaty has been an issue since its inception. Jammu and Kashmir believes that it is at a loss and the concessions given to Pakistan are more than it should have been given. It is a good thing that rethinking on this issue has been initiated by the central government and it conveys a positive message to Jammu and Kashmir,’ he said.

The Indus Waters Treaty is a water-sharing arrangement signed by former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and martial law administrator General Ayub Khan on September 19, 1960, in Karachi. It covers the water distribution and sharing rights of six rivers -- Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum. The agreement was brokered by the World Bank 
The agreement was signed because the source of all the rivers of the Indus Basin were in India (Indus and Sutlej, though, originate in China). It allowed India to use them for irrigation, transport and power generation, while laying down precise do's and don'ts for India on building projects along the way. 

Singh also maintained that the Central Government is rethinking on the treaty which would send a positive message to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The treaty gave the three "eastern rivers" of Beas, Ravi and Sutlej to India for use of water without restriction. The three "western rivers" of Indus, Chenab and Jhelum were allocated to Pakistan. India can construct storage facilities on "western rivers" of up to 3.6 million acre feet, which it has not done so far. India is also allowed agriculture use of 7 lakh acres above the irrigated cropped area as on April 1, 1960. 

Under the treaty, the waters of the eastern rivers have been allocated to India and New Delhi is under obligation to let the waters of the western rivers flow, except for certain consumptive use, with Pakistan getting 80% of the water. According to the United Nations, the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty has survived three wars and is a source of cooperation, not just conflict. ‘Pakistan should be declared terrorist state and all types of move should be performed to combat the situation,’ he added. 

With agency inputs