The Partition Of Bengal – 1905 (UPSC Notes):- & the Partition

 Since 1765 (following the Battle of Buxar) the province of Bengal,

which included present-day West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Bangladesh
and Assam was under the British.
 It was a very large area and the population rose to almost 80 million
by the first few years of the 20 th century. Calcutta was the capital of
the province and also of British India.
 There were difficulties in administering such a large area. The
eastern part, especially in rural areas were neglected.
 That region was lacking in the fields of industry, education and
employment. Much of the industry was centred on Calcutta.
 For administrative ease, the partition of the province had been
proposed even before Curzon had arrived in India.
 In 1874, Assam was sliced away from Bengal and put under a Chief
Commissioner.
 Initially, Lord Curzon proposed the partitioning of the province as an
administrative measure solely. In 1904, he undertook a tour of
eastern Bengal.
 The idea of using the Bengal partition as a political tool to undermine
the growing nationalism in Bengal and other parts of India occurred
later.
 As per Curzon, after the partition, the two provinces would be Bengal
(including modern West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar) and Eastern
Bengal and Assam.
 Bengal would also lose five Hindi-speaking states to the Central
Provinces. It would gain Odia-speaking states from the Central
Provinces.
 Eastern Bengal would consist of Hill Tripura, Chittagong, Rajshahi
and Dhaka divisions. Its capital would be Dhaka.
 Bengal would have a Hindu majority and Eastern Bengal and Assam
would have a Muslim majority population. Its capital would remain
Calcutta.
Reaction to the partition of Bengal

 There was widespread political unrest in the province after Curzon

announced the partition.
  Many people in Bengal regarded this partition as an insult to their
motherland. There was a huge cry for the unity of Bengal.
Rabindranath Tagore composed the famous song ‘Amar Sonar
Bangla’ which later became the national anthem of Bangladesh.
 The Indian National Congress protested this move to separate the
province on communal lines.
 Most of the Bengalis in the western part protested against this step
which would also make them a linguistic minority in their own
province. There would be more Odia and Hindi speaking people than
Bengalis.
 Many Muslims from the Bengali Muslim community welcomed this
move since they thought that it would advance their educational,
economic and political interests if they became the majority in the
new province.
 Lord Curzon also promised to start a university in Dhaka. This was
also seen as an opportunity for Muslims to develop in education and
improve their standard of living.
 The general protest in the rest of the country was against this
partition. The people saw through the ‘divide and rule’ policy of the
British authorities.
 The chief aim of such a partition was only to create a rift between the
two communities and hampering the unity and nationalism in the
country.
 The agitation had started much before the date of the partition itself.
On the date of the partition, people observed a day of mourning.
Tagore asked Hindus and Muslims to tie rakhis to each other as a
mark of protest.
 A few Muslims also were against the partition.
 The Swadeshi and Boycott movements in the national struggle
started as a result of this partition.
 People started boycotting British goods which had flooded the Indian
market and had dealt a blow to the indigenous industry.
 The partition did succeed in creating a communal rift in the country
and even contributed to the birth of the Muslim League in 1906.
Partition annulled

 Owing to mass political protests, the partition was annulled in 1911.

  New provinces were created based on linguistic lines rather than
religious lines. Bihar and Orissa Province was carved out of Bengal.
(Bihar and Orissa became separate provinces in 1936).
 A separate Assam province was created.
 The capital of British India was moved to Delhi from Calcutta in 1911.
 Despite the annulment, the partition did create a communal divide
among the Hindus and Muslims of Bengal.

Pakistan at the United Nations

Pakistan joined the United Nations on September 30, 1947, just over a month after its
independence.

2. Pakistan is committed to a world in which upholding human dignity is the

highest value and maintaining global peace a sacred duty. Pakistan
envisages a world which is free of want, hunger and deprivation. A world
where justice and fair play govern the affairs of human beings and
inequality, oppression and war are abhorred.
3. Over the last 66 years, Pakistan has put this vision into practice by making
significant contributions to the principles and purposes of the UN Charter,
in particular the promotion and maintenance of international peace and
security, as a member of the Security Council and through its contribution
to UN Peacekeeping. It has been an ardent advocate of multilateralism and
the primacy of the United Nations in international affairs.
4. Pakistan�s commitment and participation in the United Nations is across-
the-board. It has actively participated in discussions at the United Nations
on a host of issues including human rights, development, environment and
climate change, and international law.
5. Pakistan is currently an elected member to the following UN bodies:
Human Rights Council (2013-15); Commission on the Limits of the
Continental Shelf (2012-17); Commission for Social Development (2013-
2017); Commission on the Status of Women (2013-2017); Commission on
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (2013-2015); UNICEF Executive
 Board (2013-2015); UNDP/UNFPA Executive Board (2013-2015); and
United Nations Committee on Contributions (2013-16).
6. Pakistan seeks resolution of the Kashmir dispute on the basis of
Resolutions adopted by the Security Council. Our principled position on
the dispute remains a bed-rock of our foreign policy. We will continue to
support the right of self-determination of the people of Jammu & Kashmir
and to choose their destiny in accordance with UNSC resolutions.
7. As the largest troop contributing country to the UN peacekeeping
operations, Pakistan's commitment to international peace and security is
well established. It deployed its first ever contingent in Congo in 1960.
Pakistan has since participated in 41 peacekeeping missions in 23
countries, with over 150,000 peacekeepers, some deployed in most difficult
and trying conditions. A total of 137 Pakistani peacekeepers have embraced
martyrdom. Currently, Pakistan is one of the largest troop contributors,
with 8,230 peacekeepers, constituting over 9% of UN's total deployment.
Pakistan is also the sixth largest police contributor.
8. Pakistan is actively working with the global community in the campaign
against international terrorism. It has extended maximum cooperation and
support to the international community to fight this scourge. No country in
the world has suffered as much as Pakistan because of this menace. The
entire Pakistani nation is determined to eliminate terrorism in all its forms
and manifestations.
9. Pakistan considers arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation
efforts as vital tools to promote the goals of peace and security at the global
and regional levels. Accordingly, Pakistan has always advocated the need
for inclusive forums for deliberations and negotiations, taking into account
the security interests of all States.
10.As part of its efforts to contribute to the global discourse on disarmament
and non-proliferation, Pakistan presents four resolutions annually in the
United Nations General Assembly. These resolutions are aimed at
reinforcing the global norms on conventional arms control, regional
disarmament, confidence building measures in the regional context and
 the continuing importance of providing Negative Security Assurances to
non-nuclear weapon States.
11. Pakistan has been a leading voice for the reform of the Security Council to
make it more democratic, inclusive and accountable through reform of its
membership and improvement in its working methods.
12. Pakistan assumed the membership of the Security Council for a two-year
term from January 2012 to December 2013. This was the seventh time that
Pakistan served on the Security Council. Pakistan brought to the Security
Council the aspirations of the general membership, developing countries,
OIC and Asia.
13. Pakistan delegation was engaged in the Council on the full spectrum of the
agenda ranging from Africa to the Middle East to Central Europe to Latin
America as well as a number of thematic issues. Peace and stability in
Afghanistan, counter-terrorism and peacekeeping are the areas of special
interest for Pakistan.
14. During our Presidency of the Security Council in January 2013, we
convened two special thematic debates: (i) comprehensive approach to
counter-terrorism; and (ii) UN Peacekeeping: a multidimensional
approach. The latter led to adoption of a landmark resolution on
peacekeeping operations.
15. Pakistan continues to support the need for dialogue, diplomacy and
international cooperation to address existing and emerging international
challenges, in an effective and credible manner on the basis of consensus
and concerted collective actions.

National Action Plan (Pakistan)

The National Action Plan is an action plan that was established by the Government of
Pakistan in January 2015 to crack down on terrorism and to supplement the
ongoing anti-terrorist offensive in Federally Administered Tribal Areas. It is considered
as a major coordinated state retaliation following the deadly 2014 Peshawar school
attack.[1][2][3][4] The plan received unprecedented levels of support and co-operation across
the country's political spectrum, inclusive of the federal and provincial governments.
It combines foreign and domestic policy initiatives aimed to crack down on and
eventually eliminate proscribed organisations across the country. The plan was
provided as the framework for the Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution of
Pakistan which established speedy trial military courts for offences relating to terrorism.
It has also led to the resumption of capital punishment and mandatory re-verification
through fingerprint recognition of all subscribers on mobile telephony.[5]
The National Action Plan authorises the Foreign, Finance, and other ministerial
departments to reach out to the friendly Muslim countries to clamp down on financiers
of sectarian and terrorist networks operating against Pakistan.[6]

Background[]

On 16 December 2014, six gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

conducted a terrorist attack on the Army Public School in the northwestern Pakistani city
of Peshawar. The militants, all of whom were foreign nationals, included one Chechen,
three Arabs and two Afghans. They entered the school and opened fire on school staff
and children,[5][7] killing 145 people, including 132 schoolchildren, ranging between eight
and eighteen years of age.[8][9] A rescue operation was launched by the Pakistan
Army's Special Services Group (SSG) special forces, who killed all six terrorists and
rescued 960 people.[5][10]

Establishment of the plan[]

On 24 December 2014 political parties conference chaired by the

then Prime Minister of Pakistan reached consensus over the issue of
setting up military courts for tackling terrorism cases in the country, along
with a wider plan to tackle terrorism. [2]

We have to act fast and whatever is agreed we have to implement it immediately...this

agreement is a defining moment for Pakistan and we will eliminate terrorists from this
country.

— Prime Minister Pakistan, [11]

On 24 December the Prime Minister (PM) in a televised address to the nation

announced the 'National Action Plan' (NAP) to deal with terrorism. According to the
Interior Minister, the plan was prepared in the light of the decisions taken by All Parties
Conference. For this purpose the PM established the National Action Committee,
consisting of members from all the political parties and decisions were taken in the light
of the recommendations of this committee. The PM's address gave the following outline
of the National Action Plan, the points of which were decided in the APC.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) called off the protests and participated in the APC.
However, it abstained from voting the bill and amendment. Jamiat Ulema-e Islam
(F) (JUI F) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also abstained from voting. JI proposed that the
word religion should be omitted from the text of the bill. JUI insisted that the word sect is
objectionable. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP)
voted in favour of the bill and amendment.[12][7]

The plan[edit]

 After the Peshawar incident, government decided to proceed with the execution of
extremists convicted in terror related cases. The Government has already started
implementation.
 Special courts, headed by the officers of the armed forces, will be established for the
speedy trial of terrorists. These courts will be established for a term of two years.
 Formation of armed militia will not be allowed in the country.
 National Counter Terrorism Authority will be revived and made effective
 There will be a crackdown on hate-speech, and action will be taken against newspapers,
magazines contributing to the spread of such speech.
 Financial sources of terrorists and terror organisations will be cut.
 Banned outfits will not be allowed to operate under different names.
 Special anti-terrorism force will be raised.
 Measures will be taken to stop religious extremism and to protect minorities.
 Madrassas will be regularised and reformed.
 Print and electronic media will not be allowed to give any space to terrorists.
 Keeping the rehabilitation of IDPs as the top-most priority, administrative and development
reforms in FATA will be expedited.
 Communication systems of terrorist organisations will be destroyed.
 Social media and the Internet will not be allowed to be used by terrorists to spread
propaganda and hate speech, though exact process for that will be finalised.
 Like the rest of the country, no space will be given to extremism in any part of the Punjab.
 Operation against terrorists in Karachi will be taken to its logical conclusion.
 In the interest of political reconciliation, Baluchistan government will be given complete
authority by all stakeholders.
 Elements spreading sectarian violence will be prosecuted.
 Comprehensive policy will be formed for registration and deportation of Afghan refugees.
 To give provincial intelligence agencies access to communication of terrorists and to
strengthen anti-terror agencies through basic reforms in the criminal justice system.
Constitutional amendments and legislation will be carried out for this purpose.

Implementation[edit]

 Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan passed on 7 January 2015.

 Over 50 cases of hardcore terrorists for prosecution in military courts send till 25 March
2015.
 55,000 Afghan refugees expelled by between January and 23 March 2015.[13]
 Lifted a seven-year-old moratorium on the executions of prisoners sentenced to death.
 Executions of 128 prisoners till[ march 2015.
 By March 2015, civilian and intelligence agencies had arrested 150 people, half of them
clerics, in violation of laws.
 On 25 March 2015, Pakistan froze a number of accounts used to funnel Rs 10.2 billion in
cash to terror suspects.
 Boundary walls of all schools up to 8 feet (2.4 m) and topping them with 2 feet (0.61 m) high
razor wire.
 By 15 March 2015, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), has verified more than
70 million SIM's and 11 million were blocked due to not having re-verification.
 From 24 December 2014 to 25 March 2015, law enforcement agencies arrested 32,347
people on different charges in 28,826 operations.[17]
 On 3 April 2015, at least 76 suspects including two Afghan nationals were arrested
in Peshawar.

Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution of

Pakistan
Eighteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Pakistan (Urdu:  ‫آئین‬
‫ )پاکستان میں اٹھارہویں ترمیم‬was passed by the National Assembly of
Pakistan on April 8, 2010,[1] removing the power of the President of
Pakistan to dissolve the Parliament unilaterally, turning Pakistan from
a semi-presidential to a parliamentary republic, and renaming North-West
Frontier Province to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.[2] The package was intended to
counter the sweeping powers amassed by the presidency under former
presidents General Pervez Musharraf and General Muhammad Zia-ul-
Haq and to ease political instability in Pakistan. [3][4] The bill reversed many
infringements on the Constitution of Pakistan over several decades by
its military rulers.[3] The amendment bill was passed by the Senate of
Pakistan on April 15, 2010 and it became an act of parliament when
President Asif Ali Zardari put his signature on the bill on April 19, 2010. It
was the first time in Pakistan's history that a president relinquished a
significant part of his powers willingly and transferred them to parliament
and the office of the prime minister.

Background[edit]
The power of the president to dissolve the Parliament was enacted by
the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan during
the presidency of Gen. Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, before it was removed by
then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif during his second term by the Thirteenth
Amendment. It was finally restored during the presidency of Gen. Pervez
Musharraf by the Seventeenth Amendment.[2] This bill is the first bill since
1973 to decrease the powers of the president. [5]
Back then, this amounted to the only democratically elected parliament to
fully complete its tenure in the history of Pakistan from 2003–2008, albeit
under Musharraf. The second complete parliamentary term was completed
by the PPP led government from 2008–2013 which had in fact passed the
18th Amendment. However, this 2008–2013 term is often touted to be the
first complete democratic change of power without a military president or a
coup de etat in Pakistan.

Changes to the Constitution[edit]

The major new features were also introduced into the constitution, including
the following:

 The name of the former president of Pakistan, Gen Zia ul haq, has been
removed from the text of Constitution.
 The 17th Amendment and Legal Framework Order as introduced by
Musharraf has been repealed
 Turning Pakistan from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary republic
 The Self-governing, legislative and financial autonomy was granted to
the Provinces
 North-West Frontier Province has been renamed to Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa
 The ban on third time prime ministership and chief ministership has
been lifted
 Holding constitution in abeyance is tantamount to high treason
 The Council of Common Interests (CCI) has been reconstituted with the
prime minister as its chairperson and the body should meet at least
once in 90 days
 The restructuring of National Finance Commission Award (NFC Award)
 A Independent judicial commission will recommend the appointment
procedure of superior judges and the final names of judges will be
decided by parliamentary commission
 A Chief Election Commissioner will be appointed through consensus
between treasury and opposition
 Establishment of Islamabad High Court and benches of high courts in
Mingora and Turbat
 Recognition of the children's right to education and insertion of a new
section under Article 25A to provide constitutional guarantee that state
will provide free and compulsory education to all girls and boys up to
age 16.
 The power to dissolve the parliament was withdrawn from the President.

Impact[edit]
292 of the 342 members of the National Assembly, the lower house of
Parliament, voted in favour of the amendment. The amendment turns the
President into a ceremonial head of state and transfers power to the Prime
Minister,[6] and removes the limit on a Prime Minister serving more than two
terms, opening the way for Nawaz Sharif to run again. The North-West
Frontier Province is renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in accordance with the
wishes of its Pashtun-majority population. Among other changes, courts will
no longer be able to endorse suspensions of the constitution, a judicial
commission will appoint judges, and the president will no longer be able to
appoint the head of the Election Commission.[3] The bill also enhances
provincial autonomy.[7] The President will no longer be able to
declare emergency rule in any province unilaterally.[5]
Devolved ministries[edit]
The following ministries were devolved at federal level and were given to
the provinces.[8]
According to 18th Amendment:

1. Ministry of Education became Ministry of Federal Education and

Professional Training
2. Ministry of Archaeology and Culture became Ministry of Culture
3. Ministry of environment became Ministry of Climate Change
4. Ministry of health became Ministry of National Health Services,
Regulation and Coordination
5. Ministry of special initiatives abolished at federal level.
6. Ministry of labour and manpower became Ministry of Overseas
Pakistanis & Human Resource Development
7. Ministry of local government and rural development abolished at
federal level.
 8. Ministry of minorities’ affairs merged with the Ministry of Religious
Affairs
9. Ministry of population welfare abolished at federal level.
10. Ministry of social welfare and special education abolished at
federal level.
11. Ministry of sports became Pakistan Sports Board at federal
level and given to provinces.
12. Ministry of tourism's powers given to Pakistan Tourism
Development Corporation
13. Ministry of women development abolished at federal level.
14. Ministry of youth affairs abolished at federal level.
15. Ministry of Zakat and Ushr abolished at federal level given to
provinces.

Response[edit]
Ahmed Kurd, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association of
Pakistan, said "We fully support the 18th Amendment. It is tantamount to
the overhauling of the constitution, which had been subverted by military
dictators since its inception. In the past, parliaments have just been 'rubber
stamps', whereas the present parliament seemed to be well aware of its
obligations, and therefore, was 'throwing out' the 'unconstitutional'
amendments.

Diamer-Bhasha Dam
Diamer-Bhasha Dam is a concreted-filled gravity dam, in the preliminary stages of
construction, on the River Indus between Kohistan district in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa and Diamer district in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan administered Kashmir. Its
foundation stone was laid by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1998. The dam site
is situated near a place called "Bhasha", hence the name which is 40 km downstream
of Chilas town and 315 km from Tarbela Dam. The eight million acre feet (MAF)
reservoir with 272-metre height will be the tallest roller compact concrete (RCC) dam in
the world.[2]
Upon completion, Diamer-Bhasha dam would (i) produce 4800 megawatts of electricity
through hydro-power generation; (ii) store an extra 10.5 cubic kilometres
(8,500,000 acre⋅ft) of water for Pakistan that would be used for irrigation and drinking;
(iii) extend the life of Tarbela Dam located downstream by 35 years; and (iv) control
flood damage by the River Indus downstream during high floods.
However, in response to using Basha Dam to sideline the Kalabagh Dam, Engineer
Anwer Khurshid has stated that "Bhasha dam is no substitute for Kalabagh dam not
because of its altitude which is high enough, but because no irrigation canals can be
taken out from it because of the hilly terrain. No canals can be taken out from any dam
on the Indus except from Kalabagh Dam." [3]
It is planned to have a height of 272 meters spillway with fourteen gates each 11.5 m ×
16.24 m. The gross capacity of the reservoir will be 10 cubic kilometres
(8,100,000 acre⋅ft), with a live storage of 7.9 cubic kilometres (6,400,000 acre⋅ft). Two
underground powerhouses are being proposed, one on each side of the main dam
having six turbines on each side with a total installed capacity of 4500 MW.
On 13 May 2020, the Pakistani government signed a Rs.442 billion contract with a joint
venture of China Power and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for the construction of
the dam. The eight million acre feet (MAF) reservoir with 272-metre height will be the
tallest roller compact concrete (RCC) dam in the world.[2]
Long-term challenges facing the project since its inception in 1998 including securing
funding from international lenders, groups such as the World Bank, Asian Development
Bank and IMF were unwilling to lend because the dam was in territory disputed by
Pakistan and India. However, the government of Imran Khan addressed these financial
challenges in 2021 by issuing Pakistan's first-ever green bond, the bond received an
emphatic response from investors as it was oversubscribed with 4 times greater number
of investors willing to invest than required, raising $500 million of capital for this project. [4]

Background
In January 2006, the Government of Pakistan under President Pervez
Musharraf announced the decision to construct 5 multi-purpose storage dams in the
country during next 10–12 years. According to the plan, the Diamer-Bhasha Dam
project was proposed to be built in the first phase. [5] In November 2008, the executive
committee of National Economic Council formally approved the project. Council of
Common Interests Pakistan, a constitutional body representing the provinces, also
approved the construction of the dam. The Prime Minister of Pakistan laid the
foundation stone of the project on 18 October 2011. [6]

Timelines

 In 1980, construction of the dam was suggested.[7]

 In 1998, prime minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Shareef, inaugurated the dam project.[8]
 In 2004, the first feasibility report was prepared.
 In 2008, a revised feasibility report was prepared[8]
 In 2020, Contract was awarded for the construction[9]
The construction work will take approximate 9 years. [10]
Construction and financial matters
In November 2008, the cost of the Diamer-Bhasha dam was estimated at $12.6 billion.
[11]
 and it will have a storage capacity of 10 cubic kilometres (8,100,000 acre⋅ft).
However, it will have a power generation capacity of 4500 megawatts. [12]
An amount of Rs 27, billion is required for the acquisition of land and resettlement of the
people to be affected in the wake of the construction of the dam. Under the proposed
project, Rs 10.76 billion will be spent for the acquisition of agriculture-barren land, tree
and nurseries and Rs 1.638 billion to be utilized for properties and infrastructure, Rs 8.8
billion for establishment of nine model villages, Rs 62,119 million for pay and
allowances for administrative arrangements, and Rs 17.7 million for contingent
administrative expenses.[13] The project also includes an escalation cost of Rs 2.234
billion at the rate of 6 per cent per year for five years and interest of Rs 4.309 billion
during the implementation at the rate of 9 per cent. [14]
Detailed drawings of the dam were completed by March 2008. [5] As of August 2012, the
project faced several setbacks due to major sponsors backing out from financing the
project, as World Bank and Asian Development Bank both refused to finance the project
as according to them its location is in disputed territory and asked Pakistan to get
a NOC from neighboring India.[15][16]
On 20 August 2013- Finance Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar claimed to have convinced
the World Bank and the Aga Khan Development Network to finance the Diamer-Bhasha
Project without the requirement of NOC from India. He also said that the Asian
Development Bank, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme and Aga Khan
Foundation had agreed to become lead finance manager for the project. [1][17]
On 27 August 2013- Pakistan's Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar said that work would start
on both Dasu and Diamer-Bhasha Dams simultaneously.[18] He also said that Diamer-
Bhasha project would take 10–12 years to complete. [19]
On 7 November 2013- the Chairman of Water and Power Development Authority Syed
Raghib Abbas Shah claimed that his department has received 17,000 acres of land at
the cost of PKR 5.5 billion from Government of Gilgit-Baltistan and the Ismaili
Community for the construction of the project. [20][21][22]
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on December 5, 2016, approved, in principle, the
financing plan for the Diamer-Bhasha dam and ordered the secretary of water and
power to start physical work on the dam before the end of 2017. [23]
On 14 November 2017- Pakistan dropped its bid [24] to have the dam financed under
the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework as China placed strict conditions
including on the ownership of the project. China had projected the cost of the dam to be
$14 billion and to secure its investment China wanted Pakistan to pledge another
operational dam to it.
On July 4, 2018- the Supreme Court of Pakistan directed the government to begin
construction on the dam, as well as the Mohmand Dam, to resolve a water shortage.
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar of the court gave a donation of 1 million Pakistani rupees for
the construction of the two dams. And set up a fund for the construction of the dam.
  On July 6, the government of Pakistan set up a fund for the construction of the
[25]

Diamer Bhasha Dam.[26] Fundraising through bank accounts and cellular companies was
initiated for participation.
On 9 September 2018- a Water and Power Development Authority official revealed that
at least 12 billion dollars are required to build Diamer-Bhasha Dam. 5 billion dollars are
required to build infrastructure while another 7 billion dollars are required for the power
generation.
On 1 November 2018- PM-CJP fund for Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams which
was opened in beginning of 3rd Quarter of 2018 i.e. in January 2019 its funds have
reached US$66.7 million (i.e. PKR 9.29 billion) approximately. The status is regularly
updated on the Supreme Court of Pakistan. [27]
On 2 April 2020- it was revealed by WAPDA that Rs115.9 billion had been distributed
for land acquisition of the project till February 2020. [28]
On 13 May 2020, the Pakistani government signed a Rs.442 billion contract with a joint
venture of China Power and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for the construction of
the dam.[2]

Design
The project is located on Indus River, about 315 km upstream of Tarbela Dam, 165 km
downstream of the Northern Area capital Gilgit and 40 km downstream of Chilas.

 Main Dam:
o Maximum Height: 272 meters
o Type: roller compacted concrete (RCC)
 Diversion System:
o Tunnels: 2
o Canals: 1
o Cofferdam: Upstream and Downstream
 Main Spillway:
o Gates: 9
o Size: 16.5×15.0 m
 Reservoir Level: 1160 m
 Min Operation Level Elevation: 1060 m
 Gross Capacity: 9 cubic kilometres (7,300,000 acre⋅ft)
 Live Capacity: 7.9 cubic kilometres (6,400,000 acre⋅ft)
 Outlets:
o Intermediate Level:8
o Low Level: 4
 Powerhouses:
o No. of Powerhouses: 2
o Total Installed Capacity: 4500 MW
o Location of Powerhouses: one each on right and left side
o No. of Generator Units: 8
 o Capacity/Unit: 560 MW
o Average Power Generation; 16,500 GWh
 Estimated Cost: US $14 Billion (2013 Estimate)[1]

Purpose and function

The main purpose of the dam is water storage, irrigation and generation of electricity.

 Store huge water for next Pakistani generation.

 Number of Trees arounds dam will be increase, so Global Climate Change will be
Decrease.
 Production of 4500 megawatts of electricity by harnessing the water.
 Storage of an extra 10.5 cubic kilometres (8,500,000 acre⋅ft) of water for Pakistan that
would be used for irrigation and drinking.
 Extend the life of Tarbela Dam located downstream by 35 years.
 Control flood damage by the River Indus downstream during high floods.
 Availability of about 7.9 cubic kilometres (6,400,000 acre⋅ft) annual surface face water
storage for supplementing irrigation supplies during low flow periods.
 Harnessing of renewable source of clean and cheap energy through installed capacity of
4500 MW
This dam could not commence as 1/5 land still to be acquired for reaching total required
of 37,500 acres (152 km2).

 Reduction of dependence on environmentally damaging thermal power.

 Short and long term employment opportunities, particularly to locals, during the construction
(15,000 jobs) and operation phase
 Creation of massive infrastructure leading to overall socio-economic uplift of the area and
standard of living of people.

Environmental impact and resettlement

Environmental Impact:

 Villages affected: 31
 Houses affected: 4100
 Population affected: 35,000[29]
 Agricultural land submerged: 6.1 square kilometres (1,500 acres)
 Area under reservoir: 100 square kilometres (25,000 acres)
Resettlement:

 Proposed new settlements: 9 model villages.

 Population resettled: 28,000
 New infrastructure, roads, clean water supply schemes, schools, health centres, electricity
supply, etc.
 Development of new tourism industry in area around reservoir (including hotels, restaurants,
water sports, etc.).
  Development of hitherto non-existent fresh-water fishing industry based on newly created
reservoir.

Heritage issues
The dam will submerge heritage including rock carvings/petroglyphs dating as far back
as 6th millennium BC. Locals say that these are not only of great historical significance
for Buddhists but also for promoting tourism and need to relocate to safe side. [30]

Water Crisis in Pakistan: Manifestation, Causes and the Way

Forward 
1. INTRODUCTION

Water scarcity is a frightening situation that is already happening in Pakistan. The

country ranks 14 among the 17 ‘extremely high water risk’ countries of the world, a list
that includes hot and dry countries like Saudi Arabia.[2] Over 80 percent of the total
population in the country faces ‘severe water scarcity’ for at least one month of the year.
[3] In addition to surface water, Pakistan’s groundwater resources—the last resort of
water supply—are severely overdrawn, mainly to supply water for irrigation. If the
situation remains unchanged, the whole country may face ‘water scarcity’ by 2025. The
situation is strategically more complicated, as Pakistan is the lower riparian country to
India and 78 percent of its water inflows from therein.[4] Moreover, only two-thirds of
available water is being utilised while one-third of the water is either lost or discharged
into the sea.[5] 

2. THE MANIFESTATION OF THE WATER CRISIS IN PAKISTAN

The water crisis is a reality in Pakistan as is evident from the following facts. 

2.1.  Water Availability

Over the last few decades, Pakistan has drastically changed from being a water
abundant country to a water-stressed country (Figures 1 and 2). With 2.8 percent of the
global population, Pakistan accounts for 0.5 percent of global renewable water
resources.[6] Worldwide, the country ranks 36th in total renewable water resources
compared to India’s rank at 8th and Bangladesh’s at 12th (2017).
 Water Withdrawals

Pakistan ranks 160th in the ratio of water withdrawals to water resources (in 2017),
performing better than 18 countries only (Figure 3). Agriculture is the largest water
consumer, accounting for 94 percent of annual water withdrawals followed by
households (5.3 percent) and industry (including power generation) (0.8 percent).
  Dependence on Single River System

The country’s dependence on a single river system is extremely risky: the Indus river
system accounts for 95.8 percent of the total renewable water resources of Pakistan.[9]
Moreover, the water originating from outside of Pakistan accounts for over three-
fourths (78 percent) of total water resources of the country, making it vulnerable

 Low Water Productivity

In 2017, Pakistan ranked 8th lowest in the world, generating US$1.4 per cubic meter of
water withdrawn. Malaysia ranked 35th (US$55.0/m3), Republic of Korea 37th
(US$52.4/m3), China 71st (US$ 21/m3) and Turkey 87th (US$13.6/m3).[11]
.  Overuse of Groundwater

The Indus Basin aquifer has been ranked as the 2nd most over-stressed underground
water reserve in the world.[12] The strain on groundwater is very disturbing. Over 60
percent of irrigation, 70 percent of drinking water and 100 percent of the industry in the
country depend on it.[13]

Drinking Water

Country’s cities are already facing problems of erratic supply of piped water and unsafe
and declining levels of groundwater. Only 36 percent of the population has access to
safe drinking water

 Wastewater Treatment

Over 63 percent of globally produced wastewater is collected, 52 percent is treated (48

percent is released untreated) while 11 percent is reused.[14] With a mere 1 percent
treatment of collected wastewater, Pakistan ranks among the countries with the lowest
water treatment rate.[15] “Pakistan is wasting its water resources due to inefficient
consumption patterns and negligible recycling”, says Dr Tariq Banuri.[16] 
3. WHAT ARE THE ROOT CAUSES OF PAKISTAN’S WATER CRISIS?

Pakistan’s water crisis is explained mainly by rapid population growth followed by

climate change (floods and droughts), poor agricultural sector water management,
inefficient infrastructure and water pollution. This in a result is also aggravating internal
tensions between provinces.
.  Rapid Population Growth and Unplanned Urbanisation

The biggest challenge to deteriorating water resources and decreasing per capita water
availability in Pakistan is population growth and urbanisation. Between 1972 and 2020,
Pakistan’s population increased by 2.6 times, moving it in rank from 9 th to 5th.
Bangladesh’s population increased by 1.5 times (from 66.6 million to 164.7 million)
during this time. Total water use in Pakistan increased by about 0.7 percent per year
between 1977 and 2017[17]; while total water resources remained static at 246.8 billion
cubic meters (BCM), resulting in a decrease in per capita water resources from 3,478 to
1,117 cubic meters per year (table 1). This has resulted in an increase in pressure on
water resources, reflected by the ratio of water withdrawals to renewable water
resources going up from 62 percent to 82 percent between 1977 and 2017.[18]
Pakistan’s population is projected to increase by over one-half (53 percent), reaching
338 million by 2050. The share of the population living in cities is also projected to
increase from 37.2 percent in 2020 to 52.2 percent in 2050.[19] If water efficiency
remains the same, the water withdrawal to water resources ratio may exceed 100
percent in coming decades.

 Climate Change

Pakistan is among the list of 10 most vulnerable countries of the world to climate
change (Figure 5). The country is already facing climate-related threats to water
resources as is evident from the change in monsoon patterns, receding glaciers, rising
temperatures and recurrence of floods and droughts. Pakistan has witnessed a number
of floods in the past several years and long spells of drought. For example, the 2010
floods caused direct losses of more than US$10 billion and 1,600 deaths and affected
38,600 square kilometers.[20] Similarly, Quetta and most parts of Balochistan
experienced eight years of a drought-like situation from 1997 to 2005.[21]

Climate change may decline aggregate water flows in the future. In future, most
projections show a declining trend and increased variability of the flows (50 to 75 years).
[22] The Indus River Basin, Pakistan’s chief water source, being dependent on glacial and
snowmelt and precipitation, is highly sensitive to climate change. It has already shrunk
into a canal in the Sindh Province where a large number of farmers have migrated to
urban areas due to a shortage of water. Given the fact that snow and ice melt runoff
currently generates between 50 percent and 80 percent of average water flows in the
Indus River basin,[23] this will result in landslides, heavy flooding, dam bursts and soil
erosion initially and drought and famine in the long-run.

.  Poor Water Management

Over 80 percent of the country’s water resources are used by four major crops (rice,
wheat, sugarcane and cotton) which contribute only 5 percent to GDP.[25] The
productivity of these crops is low in Pakistan compared to other major agricultural
economies of the world (Figure 6). Canal water is immensely underpriced, recovering
only one-fifth [20 percent in the form of abiana (canal water charges)] of annual
operating and maintenance costs, while the collection is 60 percent of total receivables.
[26] Though the farm sector accounts for one-fifth of GDP and almost half of the
country’s employment, it contributes less than 0.1 percent to total tax revenues,
providing little finance for the maintenance of the irrigation system.[27]

The crumbling of water infrastructure contributes to extensive water wastage. The

country’s irrigation is one of the most inefficient in the world with an overall efficiency of
39 percent, reflecting aging and poor maintenance of the irrigation system. This means,
out of 143 BCM of water available at the canal headworks, only 55 BCM is being used
for the farm sector. The rest (61 percent or 87 BCM) of water is lost during conveyance
through canals, distributaries, minors and watercourses and during application in the
field.[28] Moreover, Pakistan can save only 9 percent of the available water in the Indus
River System throughout the year, compared to the global average of 40 percent.

Water Pollution

Every year about half of the two million produced wet tons of human excreta go on to
pollute water in Pakistan.[30] According to a study, in Pakistan 60 million people are at
risk of exposure to high concentrations of arsenic in groundwater on the Indus Plain.[31]

Water-borne diseases are a leading cause of death and suffering in Pakistan. Overall,
about 60 percent of people in Pakistan are suffering from one or more of the main
diseases associated with inadequate provision of drinking water and improved
sanitation.[32] They fill about one-third of hospital beds and account for about 40
percent of all premature deaths in the country.[33] In 2017, 60 thousand people in
Pakistan died prematurely due to inadequate water and sanitation facilities: half of them
were children under-five.[34] Recently, Pakistan has also seen the emergence and
resurgence of diseases like polio, dengue fever, and hepatitis A and E. Diarrhoea alone
accounts for 54,000 deaths among children under-five, which means every hour more
than five children die as a result of diarrhoea.[35] The economic costs to Pakistan of
poor water and sanitation, floods and droughts are estimated to be 4.0 percent of the
GDP or about US$ 12 billion per year
 Water Policies

In 2018, Pakistan formulated its first-ever National Water Policy. It acknowledges for the
first time that water is a finite resource and that Pakistan has to at least recover the costs
of the irrigation system. The policy also looks at future impacts of climate change on
water, talks about water pricing and mentions the need for regional cooperation
challenges. Some provincial-level initiatives also exist such as the Punjab Water Act
2019, the Balochistan Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Policy 2006,
Sindh’s Agriculture Policy 2018 and KP’s Drinking Water Policy 2015 and Climate Change
Policy 2016. However, there are several shortcomings in these documents such as the
absence of a scientific basis, the neglect of water quality issues, the absence of targets,
and lack of clear reference to SDGs and gender inclusion. Such gaps need to be
addressed during the implementation phase. Also, there is a need for clear timelines,
capacity, political will and provision of financial resources.

Water Distribution Issue within Provinces

A growing scarcity of water resources in the country is increasingly becoming a source

of conflict among provinces over the distribution of available water. Canal water is
distributed among provinces under the 1991 Water Accord: a baseline volume of 144.8
BCF water is divided among the provinces, with about 48 percent going to Punjab,
about 42 percent to Sindh, 7 percent to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and about 3 percent to
Balochistan.[37] A mechanism has been defined for the excess supply of water. However,
the accord does not introduce any apportionment for shortages. Lesser quantities of
water in various months have caused water conflicts between the upstream province of
Punjab and the downstream province of Sindh and between Sindh and Balochistan over
the years. Sindh alleges Punjab of water theft while Baluchistan accuses Sindh of not
giving its share from Guddu and Sukhar Barrages. 

Pakistan needs to take a series of measures to address its water crisis.

4.1.  Political Ownership of the Challenge

The entire political leadership and relevant stakeholders need to take ownership of the
challenge of Pakistan’s water crisis and declare their intention to address it. “First of all,
Pakistan’s leaders and stakeholders need to take ownership of this challenge and declare
their intention to tackle it. Simply blaming previous governments, or blaming India, for the
crisis won’t solve anything”[38], says Michael Kugelman.
4.2.  Policy, Reforms and Governance

There is a need to fill the vacuum between policies, reforms and their implementation by
devising a detailed implementation plan. “We do not have a water crisis; we have a
failure of governance with regard to water issues,” says Dr Ishrat Hussain.[39] The
government needs to institute a major paradigm shift that promotes the more judicious
use of water. This will include water infrastructure maintenance, water conservation
technologies and awareness-raising.
__________________________
 Recycling of Wastewater

The policy-makers need to rethink water policy by urging recycling of wastewater

as is done in Israel and Singapore based on the principle of private sector
participation and optimal pricing of water.

Israel, which was water-deficient with 70 percent desert, has achieved water security by
treating and reusing around 90 percent of its wastewater, primarily for irrigation,
meeting around one-quarter of the country’s demand for water. Similarly, Singapore –
another water-scarce country – is meeting 40 percent of its water demand from recycled
wastewater which is expected to reach 55 percent by 2060.[40]
_________________
.
4.4.  Increase Agricultural Efficiency

It is key to leverage technology for efficient water utilisation, however, it is also crucial to
choose the right innovation so it delivers the desired solution that is needed. Farmers
can use precision watering rather than flooding their fields. One of the biggest advances
in modern agriculture is drip irrigation. Similarly, water-intensive crops as sugar cane
and rice may be replaced with lower water demanding crops.

4.5.  Water Metering/Pricing

Another solution is making the metering of water compulsory for all users from
domestic, agriculture or industrial units. Once the amount of utilisation is known, it
enables better planning and management of the precious resource. The current pricing
regime offers little incentive to consumers to conserve water. Pricing may be linked with
income levels along with several other dimensions. Increasing the cost of water
consumption will not only push consumers to use water more judicially but also
generate sufficient revenues for the maintenance of infrastructure and water-conserving
technologies.