India Refuses to Engage with Pakistan on Indus Water Treaty
Officials insist that concerns and complaints with regard to terrorism should be addressed effectively
New Delhi: India has refused to engage with Pakistan on the issue of Indus Water Treaty (IWT) unless its the concerns and complaints with regard to terrorism are not addressed effectively.
Sources said the pact needs to be completely reworked keeping in mind the technological shift, population needs and climate changes. It is learnt that Pakistan's Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza has reached out to India multiple times, urging India to reconsider the decision to put the IWT in abeyance and expressed his government's readiness to discuss specific objections raised by New Delhi.
India has so for not officially responded to any of Pakistan's letters. Sources said that putting the IWT in abeyance, India is planning a study to maximise the utilisation of its share of water within the treaty with Pakistan. The study aims at optimising water resources, including the development of new infrastructure, and ensuring that India's rights under the treaty are fully utilised.
The daily data of the Indus River System Authority of Pakistan shows that water in Tarbela Dam on Indus and Mangla on Jhelum is depleting fast.
