Editoral-Unacceptable infighting-Dawn Editorial

Pakistan is listed as a water-stressed country and is fast approaching the scarcity threshold. A substantial portion of the problem lies in irrational use in the field of agriculture, the demands of a burgeoning population and the near absence of integrated water management. As such the water shortage in the country is partly a crisis of our own creation. Of late, however, an already dire situation seems to have been rendered even more critical by the construction of Baglihar Dam in Indian-administered Kashmir in apparent violation of the Indus Waters Treaty.

Inflows into the Chenab on the Pakistani side are said to have fallen significantly as a result of this project. Agriculture, the mainstay of our economy, has been hit hard and livelihoods are at risk. Then there is the ongoing Kishanganga Dam project, also in Kashmir, which could make matters worse for Pakistan. For its part, India insists that the dams are not depriving Pakistan of its due share of water while many people here take an altogether different view.

But if New Delhi has violated the Indus Waters Treaty, what is Pakistan doing about it? It has been reported that the water and power ministry and the law and justice division cannot even decide on who should represent Pakistan in the Kishanganga arbitration proceedings. Apparently the latter is demanding change while the water and power minister wants to retain the same legal team that failed to convince the arbitrator of Pakistan’s seemingly strong case on Baglihar. This infighting over so crucial an issue is simply unacceptable. The point here is not to question which ministry or division is right or wrong. Instead, what we stress is the need for unity and consensus so the best legal team that money can hire is able to present our case at the international level.

Millions of livelihoods, general economic well-being and biodiversity are at stake and no effort should be spared to ensure that Pakistan is ably represented. The government needs to get its act together, put an end to internal squabbling and work vigorously for the collective good. Nothing less will do.

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