ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Water and Power was briefed by the Foreign Secretary, Secretary Water & Power and Special Invitee/Expert on International Treaties Ahmer Bilal Sofi on the agenda “Indian threat on Indus Waters Treaty and to chart out a course of action for Pakistan”.
The Standing Committees, which met here today in the Parliament House, Islamabad, under the chairmanship of Muhammad Arshad Khan Leghari, MNA.
The Committee after a detailed discussion unanimously decided to demand the Government of Pakistan to ask the World Bank to constitute a Court of Arbitration to adjudicate on the issues raised by Pakistan against India’s ongoing construction of Kishan Ganga and Ratle Hydro-Electric plants.
It said that till the World Bank constitutes the Court of Arbitration, it must demand of India to immediately halt the ongoing construction of Ratle Dam till the issue is resolved.
It said both the counties should abide by the Indus Waters Treaty, adding that it was even not violated during the war-like situation between the countries. It said if India violates the agreement, Pakistan reserves the right to utilize all options.
The Committee said that the World Bank would not allow India to violate the agreement because it is the issue of life and death for Pakistan and it would not withdraw from its principled stance.
It said that India had planned to construct 45 to 61 dams on its western rivers which was deplorable.
The PTI leader, Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the meeting that the dispute over water between Pakistan and India would worsen and in coming years, the water issue would be more important than Kashmir dispute.
Besides officials of the Ministry, MNAs Muhammad Junaid Anwaar Chaudhry, Malik Ihtebar Khan, Lt. Col. (Retd) Ghulam Rasool Sahi, Sardar Mansab Ali Dogar, Rana Muhammad Ishaq Khan, Pir Muhammad Aslam Bodla, Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, Nawab Muhammad Yousaf Talpur, Junaid Akbar, Mr. Saleem Rehaman Syed Waseem Hussain, Maulana Muhammad Gohar Shah, Syed Kazim Ali Shah, Dr. Syed Ghazi Ghulab Jamal and Sahibzada Muhammad Yaqub attended the meeting.
