August 26, 2008	Tuesday	Sha'aban 23, 1429

LAHORE, Aug 25: Yielding to ‘intense pressure’ from Pakistan, the Indian government has started increasing water discharge in Chenab river. On Monday, the river had an inflow of 54,100 cusecs – close to the minimum inflow requirement of 55,000 cusecs under the Indus Basin Water Treaty.

The Indian side yielded to pressure from the Ministry of Water and Power and the Indus Commissionerate, according to Syed Jamaat Ali Shah, the Indus Commissioner from Pakistan. The Commissionerate, he said, had taken up the matter urgently and solved the crisis that otherwise could have further complicated water issues between the two countries.

“The Commissionerate had threatened to invoke treaty provisions, like compensation claim, if the Indian side failed to release minimum water required under the treaty,” he said and added: “Better sense prevailed on the other side and issue has been solved. The treaty binds India (upper riparian) to discharge at least 55,000 cusecs of water and it can only store water if the inflow is more than this digit.”

Commenting on the situation, Punjab Irrigation Secretary Babar Hassan Bharwana said Pakistan should not relax and declare it a victory.

“Though the Indians have budged to the pressure for the time being, there is no guarantee that they will not do it again in future. Precisely for this reason, Pakistan should try to find a permanent solution to the issue because India, as upper riparian, can rig river inflows at its will.”

He said Pakistan’s objections to Baglihar Dam were purely technical in nature, but the country should not lose sight of political aspect as well. Pakistan should exert some political pressure to avoid such a situation later in the season or next year.