As per the details of the agreement, the “eastern rivers” of Beas, Ravi and Sutlej were allocated to India for use of water without restriction while the “western rivers” of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab were given to Pakistan.
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PM Narendra Modi will be briefed on the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty by senior officials on Monday, a discussion seen as significant in the light of India-Pakistan tensions following the death of 18 soldiers in a terrorist strike at an Army camp in Uri last week. Sources indicate that the Prime Minister has summoned all officials concerned for the meeting and is expected to discuss all the pros and cons of cancelling the treaty.
One of the suggestions is to turn off the Indus river tap that waters much of Pakistan.
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The treaty deals with the rivers- Ravi, Beas, Sutlej and their tributaries and the three western rivers of Indus, Jhelum, Chenab and their tributaries. India would have to tread carefully before it tries and reviews the treaty which has survived over 50 years since its signing on September 19, 1960. All the three rivers enter Pakistan from India. This is true despite the fact that even the rivers which come under Pakistani control do not originate in Pakistan and enter the country from India. Making any precedent in which an upper riparian state is overbearing can give hints to Beijing on the water-sharing issue, which doesn’t augur well for India. Fatah further said that unless and until Pakistan feels the heat directly, there will be hardly any change in their attitude. Though the agreement has been seen as one of the most successful water-sharing pacts, the current tension between the two South Asian neighbours might well lead to a flashpoint. And the idea that India can intimidate Pakistan by threatening to cut of river waters is nothing new.
