INDIAN VIOLATION OF INDUS WATER TREATY: CHALLENGES FOR PAKISTAN

Abstract

Six rivers are flowing from Indian occupied Kashmir (IOK) to Pakistan, a water source for millions of people in Pakistan and northwestern India. Distribution of rivers water emerged as a bone of conflict between India and Pakistan shortly after the Sub-continent partition. Since then, multiple agreements have been signed between two nuclear power countries to solve the water sharing issue. Finally, with the World Bank's cooperation, on October 19, 1960, Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was signed between Indian and Pakistan in Karachi, and the problem stood resolved. However, time and again, India has been violating the Treaty. The study aims to understand hydro challenges and Indian violation of IWT by constructing multiple dams on the rivers in Pakistan's share. The Indian prime minister's statement that blood and water cannot flow altogether and bluntly threaten abrogation of IWT has created a new escalation of hydro clash in the region. To strategise its policy options, it is the need of the hour to engage academia discourse. Pakistan requires to enhance water storage capacity abruptly.