Latest news with #IndusWaters
Business Recorder
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Indus waters case: FO welcomes The Hague court decision
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Monday welcomed a decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague to issue a supplemental award in the Indus Waters case. The ruling urges India to resume the operation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which New Delhi has held in abeyance since May. In April, India suspended the treaty following an attack in the Pahalgam area of Indian-occupied Kashmir, which killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, though Islamabad denied involvement. Pakistan condemned India's suspension of the treaty as an 'act of war,' highlighting that the IWT contains no provisions allowing unilateral suspension. Islamabad has also threatened legal action, citing violations of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. The PCA's supplemental award, announced on 27 June 2025, reaffirmed the court's jurisdiction over the dispute involving Pakistan and India's hydroelectric projects at Kishenganga and Ratle. The court declared its ongoing responsibility to ensure a timely and fair resolution of the matter. The Foreign Office described the award as a vindication of Pakistan's position that the treaty remains valid and operational, and criticised India's unilateral decision to suspend it. A statement issued by the Government of Pakistan called on India to 'immediately resume the normal functioning of the Indus Waters Treaty and fulfil its treaty obligations.' It also welcomed the PCA's ruling on competence, which rejected India's suspension of the treaty, expressing optimism for the forthcoming award on the merits following hearings held in July 2024. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan's readiness to engage in meaningful dialogue with India on outstanding issues including Jammu and Kashmir, water, trade, and terrorism. According to the PCA, the treaty does not allow either party to unilaterally suspend or hold it in abeyance. The court stated such actions would undermine the treaty's dispute resolution mechanisms. The court further noted that India's position was not justifiable under international law. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
See - Sada Elbalad
28-06-2025
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Pakistan welcomes supplemental award by Court of Arbitration
By Ahmad El-Assasy Pakistan has expressed strong approval of the supplemental award issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the ongoing Indus Waters dispute. Released on Friday via the PCA's website, the decision confirms the tribunal's jurisdiction, stating that India's unilateral measures cannot undermine the authority of either the Court or the Neutral Expert in hearings initiated by Pakistan. Islamabad announced that the Court has explicitly affirmed its competence, rejecting India's attempts to impede the arbitration process. The PCA's award clarified that India's effort to unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty does not affect the tribunal's mandate. Pakistan is now awaiting the Court's forthcoming decision on the merits, expected in due course after the hearings held at the Peace Palace in The Hague in July 2024. Emphasizing the high importance of reinstating constructive communication, Islamabad underscored the necessity for India and Pakistan to return to meaningful dialogue, especially regarding the implementation of the Treaty. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on June 24, 2025, reiterated Pakistan's readiness to engage in bilateral discussions with India, covering all unresolved matters—including Jammu & Kashmir, water, trade, and terrorism. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Business Recorder
27-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Pakistan welcomes Indus Waters arbitration ruling, urges dialogue with India
Pakistan on Friday welcomed the Supplemental Award issued by the Court of Arbitration in the Indus Waters matter, affirming the Court's jurisdiction and rejecting India's stance that sought to exclude the Court's competence in favour of a Neutral Expert. In a statement issued by the Foreign Office, Pakistan said the ruling, made public by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, confirmed that unilateral actions by India could not strip either the Court of Arbitration or the Neutral Expert of jurisdiction in proceedings pertaining to the Indus Waters Treaty. 'The Court has affirmed its competence in the light of recent developments,' the statement noted, adding that Pakistan looks forward to the upcoming ruling on the first phase of the case, relating to the merits of the dispute, following hearings held at the Peace Palace in The Hague in July 2024. India says it will never restore Indus water treaty with Pakistan Calling for renewed engagement with New Delhi, Pakistan emphasized the need to return to 'a meaningful dialogue' on all outstanding issues, including the implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty. Reiterating Islamabad's position, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in widely circulated remarks made on June 24, 2025, said Pakistan was 'ready to engage in a meaningful dialogue with India on all outstanding issues, including Jammu & Kashmir, water, trade and terrorism.' The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, governs the distribution and use of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan. The recent legal proceedings stemmed from disputes over hydroelectric projects constructed by India on rivers allocated to Pakistan under the Treaty.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India bleeds Pakistan dry: Water at ‘dead' levels in Pakistan's dams; bigger Indus river plans in the works - top points to know
Looking past short-term measures, India is now working on a bigger plan to effectively utilise the Indus river system to its benefit. (AI image) Pakistan is finding it difficult to get through its kharif season with consistently lower levels of water in dams - a situation brought about by India's suspension of the Indus Waters treaty . And, it's going to get progressively worse in the coming years as India executes several projects on the Indus river system. India is implementing a comprehensive plan to optimise the usage of the Indus river system through inter-basin water transfers. The strategy includes constructing a 113-km canal to redirect excess water from Jammu & Kashmir towards Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan. These initiatives are planned alongside current short-term activities involving flushing and desilting of reservoirs at two run-of-the-river hydroelectric facilities - Baglihar and Salal - on the Chenab river. The immediate actions aim to store and regulate maximum water flow following the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty by the Modi government after the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April. Additional medium and long-term strategies include accelerating ongoing hydroelectric developments such as Pakal Dul (1,000 MW), Ratle (850 MW), Kiru (624 MW) and Kwar (540 MW) to utilize water from the Indus river system. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search ads Learn More Undo India's Big plans for Indus Waters Looking past short-term measures, India is now working on a bigger plan to effectively utilise the Indus river system to its benefit. According to a TOI report, India is looking at a comprehensive plan for inter-basin water transfers, beginning with a feasibility assessment for a 113 km canal to redirect excess water from Jammu & Kashmir to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. India taps into Chenab The proposed canal will connect Chenab with Ravi-Beas-Sutlej, ensuring optimal utilisation of eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej) whilst enabling India to fully utilise its allocated share of western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) under the Indus Waters Treaty, thereby preventing excess water flow to Pakistan. Sources told TOI that the Chenab-Ravi-Beas-Sutlej connection is designed to integrate with existing canal infrastructure at 13 points across Jammu, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, ultimately linking to the Indira Gandhi canal (Sutlej-Beas). Home Minister Amit Shah recently announced that Indus waters would reach Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan via canals "within three years", benefiting vast agricultural regions whilst potentially limiting Pakistan's water access. Diverting excess water flows from J&K towards Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan could assist in achieving a more balanced regional water distribution. Uttam Sinha, senior fellow at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) is of the view that the plan would strengthen India's water security in the face of climate uncertainties. The connectivity between new and existing canal infrastructure can be established via multiple tunnels at various points in J&K and Punjab. Officials have indicated that the 113-km-long canal project for redirecting surplus water from J&K to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan would be implemented in segments, with 13 priority locations identified for connecting with existing canals. "There is also a proposal to double the length of the existing Ranbir canal, drawing water from the Chenab, from 60 km to 120 km. Efforts will also be made based on the feasibility report to use Pratap canal to its full capacity," said an official. Also Read | Bigger Indus plan: 113km canal to take surplus to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan Additionally, the government plans to restart the long-delayed Ujh multipurpose project in Kathua, J&K, which will serve hydropower, irrigation and drinking purposes. The Ravi-Beas connection beneath Ujh, previously designed to capture surplus water flowing to Pakistan via Ravi through a barrage construction, will now be integrated into the broader inter-basin water transfer initiative. This will enable water diversion through a tunnel to the Beas basin, ensuring India utilises its complete allocation of eastern rivers. River Ujh serves as a primary tributary of Ravi. Pakistan faces 'dead' water levels Meanwhile, water in rivers flowing to Pakistan has reached 'dead' levels. The western rivers - Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - flowing from India are seeing a continuous reduction in volume, forcing Pakistan to release more water than it receives to meet its drinking and irrigation requirements. Although this is typical during pre-monsoon periods, the situation could worsen as India conducts regular desilting and flushing of dams in Jammu & Kashmir to enhance storage capacity, which will further reduce water flow downstream. Also Read | In kharif season, water levels at 2 key Pakistan dams near 'dead levels' Pakistan's Punjab province, where kharif cultivation has started, is receiving a lower amount of water compared to the same time last year. Pakistan's monsoon rains are expected to begin in about a month, yet water levels in its crucial dams - Mangla on river Jhelum and Tarbela on Indus - have already declined to near their respective 'dead levels' (the point below which gravity cannot drain water from the reservoirs). This means further decrease in water flow from the Indian side may leave Pakistan with few options to facilitate farming operations before the arrival of the monsoon. Although conditions should improve when the monsoon arrives in Pakistan early next month, managing regular water discharge will be challenging for authorities without water flow data from India, following the Indus Waters Treaty's suspension. Given India's decision to suspend the 1960 treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, they are not required to share this data with Pakistan under current circumstances. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. 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Express Tribune
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Shortage of water
Shortage of water is now posing an existential threat to Pakistan in multiple dimensions. The widespread protests we observed in Sindh a few weeks back regarding six canals are just one example. The more serious dimension of the issue can be observed by Pakistan's unequivocal declaration that India's implementation of its recent absolutely illegal intimation of putting the Indus Waters treaty in abeyance would be considered as an act of war. Both the above reactions make complete sense, when we realise that per capita freshwater availability in Pakistan has declined from 5,260 cubic metres in 1951 to around 900 cubic metres and is projected to decrease to 560 cubic metres by 2050. What further accentuates its significance is the fact that, while the global average for the annual utilisation of freshwater is 70% for agriculture, though for Europe it is only 40%, in Pakistan it is 93%. The disproportionate consumption reflects nothing else except wastage. Also, its alarmingly diminishing availability for the industry can prove to be the biggest choke-point for industrial growth. Agricultural use While rising ambient has increased water evaporation and transpiration, our cropping strategy has proven to be a more potent culprit. Sugarcane and cotton alone account for at least one-third of the aggregate consumption by the agricultural sector. What adds to the injury is that Pakistan's crop water productivity for sugarcane is around 53.5% lower than the global average. For rice, with one-third of the global average, it is even worse. Irrigated agriculture, which is generally considered to be a luxury vis-a-vis rain-fed farming, provides 90% of Pakistan's food, while the global average is 40%. Despite the operational convenience it provides, we have failed to utilise it effectively so far. Irrigation system in Pakistan, rather, is a major source of wastage. Some 25% of water is lost till the farm gate, followed by the loss of 30% of the remaining water till its application at the crop root. The ingress of poor farming practices is so pervasive that it has left no aspect unaffected. For instance, almost half of upper Sindh's irrigated land is now affected with water logging and salinity. While the increase in ambient is aggravating the issue of salinity, seepage from unlined watercourses and cultivation through water inundation keep on making more land hostage to water-logging. In my view, the current system of billing the water use in agriculture, called Abiana system, majorly contributes to the above rampant utter extravagance of water. Instead of per unit usage, it is based on the area being cultivated, thus providing least incentive for the user to save it. Also, the state succeeds in recovering only a fraction of what is billed. Thus, what is ultimately collected barely covers 10% of the maintenance costs for water channels. The "water use efficiency", ie, the value created in USD/cubic metres of water used, is the most common yardstick for assessing a country's performance regarding its water economy. As per the UN records, for Pakistan, China, Israel and India, its overall value, respectively, stands at 1.84, 31.21, 128.94 and 3.13, while for agriculture for the same countries in the same order, it stands at 0.40, 2.51, 2.06 and 0.49. For Switzerland, the overall value is 432 and for agriculture it is 5.95. The numbers say everything about the steep uphill journey required to be traversed by us. No wonder that our foreign exchange spending on food-related imports has already grown by around five times during the past 20 years. Industrial use Rapid urbanisation is increasing the per capita demand for freshwater while increasing urban waste continues to pollute it. As a result, the size of the global water and wastewater treatment market is expected to reach twice of its current size of $350 billion by 2034; a reflection of the growth of circular economies. In Pakistan, we have so far not observed any such signs. This is despite the fact that out of the total industrial consumption, 49% goes to the textile sector and only few textile manufacturers treat their effluent before dumping it. In Faisalabad, the textile hub of the country, around 3.6 million cubic metres of effluent water is disposed of without treatment into Chenab and Ravi. In the above backdrop, for purchasing textiles, the EU and the US regulations are more and more focusing on mechanisms for establishing products' traceability. This includes a regime of Digital Product Passport vide which providing detailed data on the sustainability of each product is essential. Most of these regulatory filters would be fully effective by 2030 and their non-compliance can prove cataclysmic for our economy – when 60% of our textile exports are made to the US and Europe. What is to be done From the above observations and analysis, we can observe similar disregard for the real economic value of this natural resource, as we adopted for decades towards natural gas till we had frittered away most of its proven reserves. The crisis of water is definitely more fundamental. In view of the same, the following steps seem essential: 1) Uninterrupted flow of water, in line with the Indus Waters Treaty, from India to Pakistan can only be ensured through effective diplomacy. This would, however, remain unsustainable, if not complemented with bilateral trade and economic relations with India and other critical countries capable of leveraging their influence in Pakistan's favour when required. The same, in turn, requires industrial development for generating value-added products for exports. 2) Kabul River contributes tangibly to the economy of K-P. Thus, to ensure a sustained and judicious use of its water, a treaty with Afghanistan needs to be initiated. 3) The present unit cost of $0.08/cubic metres of water for the textile sector is the lowest in the region; thereby, generating an attitude of indifference towards its wastage. This requires necessary price adjustment and stringent regulatory measures for wastewater treatment and water conservation including a system of penalties and rewards around the principle of circular economy. Similarly, for agriculture, volume-based water metering needs to be introduced with Abiana indexed to the same as well as the farm size and corresponding income. The current petty recovery of Abiana is a shame vis-a-vis the palatial palaces in which our feudals (owners of at least 65% of the agricultural land) live. 4) Integrated economics of water guzzling crops like cotton, sugarcane and rice versus their replacement with less water-intensive crops need to be reviewed. 5) Replacement of current practice of crop inundation with drip-feeding is imperative. 6) Investment in the wastewater treatment industry needs to be encouraged. It goes without saying that like many other sectors, we have burnt all the margins in this respect as well; hence, delay in the implementation of the above measures is not an option. The writer is a petroleum engineer and an oil and gas management professional
