Water Dispute In Pakistan

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Water Dispute Posted by: Ali Tariq The Indus basin water dispute had its basis in the partition of Punjab. It occurred on April 1, 1948, when East Punjab in India discontinued the flow of cannel waters to West Punjab that became a huge threat of dearth and loss of crops in West Punjab. West Punjab is a productive land but a hot and dry climate. There is insufficient rainfall and unreliable. The main resource of Pakistan’s economy is based on agriculture which is dependent upon irrigation by canals delivered from the Indus River and its five tributaries. The three western rivers the Indus, the Jhelum and the Chenab enter into Pakistan from the state of Jammu and Kashmir and three Eastern rivers the Ravi, the Beas and the Sutlej flow into Pakistan…show more content…
Many official committees were made to deal with the problems arising out of the division of the Punjab. The question of sharing the water between India and Pakistan referred to committee B. the committee was agreed that there was no question of changing the authorized shares of water to which the two zones and the various canals are allowed. Therefore, this question was not referred to arbitral tribunal selected to settle the dispute between India and Pakistan arising of the partition. The life of the tribunal ended on March 31, 1948. After India took control of the head works and it stopped water from flowing in every canal entering Pakistan. So Pakistan could not complaint to committee. Pakistan was much worried about the situation. The people of Pakistan criticized this act and it got international concentration. A delegation was send to New Delhi for negotiation on water dispute by Pakistan. Through inter dominion conference which held in New Delhi on May, 1948, a new agreement was signed called the Delhi agreement on May 4, 1948. According to that agreement East and West Punjab recognized their requirement to solve the problem through support and alliance. Inter dominion conference resolve many of the issues and Pakistan planned that the issue be submitted to international level, the court of justice or UN Security council. In dispute settlement, India refused to involve any third world country, also said that inter dominion agreement should be made everlasting. Now the David Lilienthal, former chairman of the Tennessee valley visited the basin area, urged the World Bank to demonstrate its interest in conflict between India and Pakistan. Although India criticized the involvement of World Bank but continued his negotiation with reservations and after eight months treaty was signed on Sep 19, 1960 known as Indus Basin Water Treaty. Pakistan was represented by president Ayub khan

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