Pakistan’s warning to India on Indus Waters Treaty: Will trap you in your own bluff

Pakistan has warned India of an aggressive campaign at home and abroad for allegedly violating the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The threat from Pakistan came after New Delhi didn’t allow officials from Islamabad to visit two hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan’s Commissioner on Permanent Indus Water Commission Syed Mehr Ali Shah said that India had promised to arrange a visit for Pakistani officials to the 1,000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnai in Jammu and Kashmir in the last week of September.

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Later, the visit was rescheduled to October 7-12 by India in wake of the local government elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Shah alleged that India again failed to honour the revised schedule citing Panchayat polls.

However, Shah said that after having a telephonic conversation with his Indian counterpart, he didn’t expect a visit anytime soon.

“We do not foresee an inspection visit of (the two projects being executed by India over) the Chenab River in the near future based on my telephonic discussions with my Indian counterpart,” he said.

Reacting to the matter, Pakistan Water Resources Minister Faisal Vawda issued a direct threat to India, saying he will consider launching an “aggressive” campaign against New Delhi for the serious violation of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

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According to a leading Pakistani daily, the minister said that he would trap India to its own bluff card because the matter also pertained to Pakistan’s security.

What is Indus Waters Treaty?

The Indus Waters Treaty is a water distribution pact between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank to use the water available in the Indus System of rivers located in Jammu and Kashmir. The treaty was signed in 1960 by India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and then Pakistani President Ayub Khan.