Hydro Politics

M U H A M M A D N A V E E D A K B A R
P A K I S T A N A F F A I R S
Hydro Politics
Water Issues in Domestic and Regional Context

Introduction
 Water related politics is known as hydro politics.
 Hydro politics in Pakistan has two dimensions one is domestic

politics second is regional politics.
 It is usually stated that conflicts in future would be fought on water
issues.
 Domestically there has always been a problem regarding water
distribution among provinces.
Introduction
 The smaller provinces are those at the tail end such as Sindh and
Baluchistan, always complain that they aren’t getting their due
share of water.
 Sindh accuses Punjab and Balochistan accuses Sindh for using their
share of water.
 We have water related problems with regional countries also such
as India and Afghanistan.
Introduction
 From a water-abundant country at the time of Independence,

Pakistan has become a water-scarce country.
 Ranking third amongst the water-scarce countries of the world.
 Any region where annual supply of water drops below 1700 cubic
meters per person qualifies to be labelled as water-stressed
Introduction
 While a level below 1000 cubic meters per person in an area is rated
as water-scarce area.
 In 1947, Pakistan possessed 5,600 cubic meters of water per person,
 which reduced to 5,260 cubic meters in 1951,
 1200 cubic meters in 2007,
 1100 cubic meters in 2009,
 1000 cubic meters in 2010, and

Introduction
 Went down to 908 cubic meters per head in 2017.
 It was projected to touch down to 800 cubic meters by 2025 if new

water reservoirs were not constructed in the country.
 Pakistan’s thirst for water, a vital resource for people’s health,
livelihood and economic development,
Introduction
 Has been constantly rising due to galloping rise in population,
 Increase in industrial activity,
 Over-exploitation,
 Climate change,
 Failure to augment water resources and
 Lukewarm cooperation of India, with which Pakistan shares Indus

river basin.
Introduction
 In addition to energy, the scarcity of water has remained as one of

the main impediments to the sustained growth of Pakistan’s
agriculture and industry.
 But, unfortunately, some quarters in the country spare no effort in
making even technically feasible mega-water conservation projects
controversial on one count or the other.
Introduction
 Taking advantage of political wrangling in Pakistan,
 India remains continuously engaged in efforts to build scores of

hydropower projects on rivers flowing into Pakistan
 Despite her assurances, under the Indus Basin Treaty, not to
interfere with the Pakistani rivers.
Introduction
 India’s tacit role in making economically feasible hydropower

projects in Pakistan controversial cannot be ruled out.
 Meanwhile, the storage capacity of mega water reservoirs
constructed in Pakistan after Independence has reduced by 27 per
cent due to sedimentation.
INTRODUCTION
 Pakistan has the largest irrigation system-42 million

acres of land
 Major reservoirs are 3
 Barrages are 19
 Inter river link canals are 12
 Independent irrigation canal commands 45
 Large dams of height 15 meter and above 143

Domestic Context
 Indus River System passes through all the four provinces.
 There were disputes regarding water distribution amongst the

provinces.
 IRSA (Indus River System Authority) was created in 1991 to resolve
Water disputes.
 Under the formula worked out, Sindh’s share currently stands at
10,000 cusecs per day, Punjab’s 18,000 cusecs, Baluchistan 3,000
cusecs and KP 3,000 cusecs.
Domestic Context
 Water problems may be due to two reasons.
 When there is scarcity of water which lead to droughts in parts of

Sindh and Baluchistan.
 Secondly problem may be due to abundance of water during
continues rainfall.
 During the last five years floods have affected our rural areas.
 Three provinces of KPK Punjab and Sind are effected every year.
Domestics Context
 Under the Water Apportionment Accord 1991, small federating

units -- Balochistan and KP will never face water shortages or
complete cut of their share even if the country experiences water
deficit.
 In case of water deficit, Sindh and Punjab will sustain the losses in
their shares.
Domestics Context-Kalabagh Dam:
 This dam has a capacity of generating electricity of 3600 MW,

which is the average shortfall.
 It was floated in Zia ul Haq period and made controversial. KP is
opposing due to its adverse implications.
 Sindh and Baluchistan are opposing due to reduction in water flow.
 Only Punjab in its favor.

Domestics Context
 Faced with such an alarming situation, the country needs to

construct more water reservoirs, on an urgent basis, to enhance its
water storage capacity and also the per capita availability of water.
 However, for one reason or the other the country could not build
mega water reservoirs, during the last 14½ years, with the
exception of Golen Gol Dam, Tarbela Dam 4 th Extension and
Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project.
Domestics Context
 The latter four projects would irrigate 72,000 acres of virgin land in
Dera Bugti (Balochistan) and have added 2,487 MW of hydel
electricity to the national grid.
 Some ready for construction projects include: 1410 MW Tarbela
5th Extension, 2160 MW Stage-II of Dasu Dam, 7100 MW Bunji and
Stage-II of multipurpose Kurram Tangi Dam.
Mohmand Dam
 Construction of 700 feet high concrete-faced rockfill Mohmand

(Previously called Munda) Hydropower Project is proposed at Swat
River about five kilometres upstream Munda Headworks in
Mohmand (KP).
 This dam will have a gross storage capacity of 1.293 MAF, live
storage capacity of 0.676 MAF and power generation capacity of
800 MW.
 It is estimated to be completed at a cost of 309,558.015 million
rupees.
Diamer-Bhasha Dam
 Situated near “Bhasha” in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer District,

Diamer-Bhasha Dam is a gravity dam, which is in the preliminary
stages of construction, on the River Indus.
 Upon completion, this dam is projected to produce 4,500MW of
electricity through environmentally clean hydropower generation;
 extend the life of Tarbela Dam by 35 years;
 and control flood damage by the River Indus.

Diamer-Bhasha Dam
 It will have 272 metres high spillway with fourteen gates, each
11.5mx16.24m in size.
 The gross water storage capacity of its reservoir will be 8.1 MAF
(10.0 km), with a live storage of 6.4 MAF (7.9 km).
 Two underground power houses are proposed to be built, one on
each side of the main dam, having six turbines on each side with
total installed capacity of 4500 MW.
 The project is likely to cost US$ 14 billion.
Domestics Context
 Historically speaking, under the Indus Basin Treaty, the World

Bank had agreed to finance the construction of two dams – Mangla
and Kalabagh – to compensate Pakistan for the loss of waters of its
eastern rivers.
 Pakistan completed Mangla dam in 1967, but Kalabagh dam
became controversial due to inability of the successive governments
to create awakening about the spin-off benefits of this dam and
creating support for it.
Domestics Context
 Unfortunately, over the years the stand of the smaller provinces on

this issue has become more rigid
 Notwithstanding the fact that since water is crucial for human
sustenance and also for industrial growth and economic prosperity,
 all hydropower projects need to be taken-up purely on technical
grounds.
Regional context:
 Regionally south Asian states have water disputes.
 In case of Pakistan we have problems with India and Afghanistan.
 In 2016, the Indian PM threatened that flow of water to Pakistan

would be stopped and also withdrawal from Indus Water treaty.

Regional context: India
 Indus river system consisting of river Indus and it’s five tributaries
is the life line of Pakistan and western India.
 As a result of division in 1947, the Indus river system was cut
across.
 In 1950’s Pakistan and India confronted each other on water
distribution.
 This problem was resolved in 1960 by signing Indus Basin treaty

through world bank mediation,
 Under this treaty three rivers including Indus were given to
Pakistan and the remaining three were given to India.
 This treaty was accepted by India because it was in its favor.
 Three rivers were exclusively given to India which were not passing
through Pakistan and three rivers given to Pakistan were passing
through India so India is using three rivers exclusively and three
rivers of Pakistan also.
Indus Water Treaty:
 The IWT was signed in 1960 and allocated the three eastern rivers
of the Indus basin — the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — to India, while 80
per cent of the three western ones — the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab
— were allotted to Pakistan.
 India has maintained that it has not fully utilized its 20pc share of
the Indus waters and that the proposed water projects would not be
in violation of the treaty.
RIVERS
Indus Water Treaty:
 Pakistan has disputed these claims. The three remaining western

rivers on which Pakistan now relies upon all originate in or pass
through Kashmir before entering Pakistan.
 In other words, India, after having obtained the waters of the three
eastern rivers through Indus Waters Treaty, is now trying to take
control of our three western rivers as well.
Indus Water Treaty:
 Rivers given to Pakistan have been used by India because they are
passing through India.
 At the time of partition, India had no access to Kashmir,
Gurdaspure District was given to India for this purpose.
 Kashmir apart from territorial dispute is also water dispute.
Indus Water Treaty:
 Baghlihar, Kishanganga, Rattel dams are some of the disputed

projects of India and supply of water would be adversely effected
to Pakistan once these projects are completed.
 There are three mechanism of dispute resolution under the treaty –
bilateral, neutral expert and Court of Arbitration (COA).
Indus Water Treaty:
 Pakistan can be affected at two occasions, reduced supply of water

affecting our water needs and may lead to drought in areas of
Punjab and Sindh.
 Large release of water during summer season and rainfall would
lead to floods in Pakistan creating devastation in rural areas of
Pakistan.
Wullar Barrage:
 In the last 26 years, the two countries have held 13 rounds of

secretary-level talks on the issue of India’s right to build the Wullar
Barrage.
 According to India, she had the right to build the barrage under all
conditions and Pakistan held that the construction of Wullar
Barrage, or any other project that resulted in Indian control over
the River Jhelum, was unacceptable.
WULLAR BARRAGE
Bhaglihar Dam:
 Prof Raymond Lafitte of Switzerland, the neutral expert on the

Bhaglihar Dam dispute who gave his decision in favor of India,
 He has acted as a pure professional engineer since he is trained to
look at projects in the strictest sense of their operational efficacy
and economic performance.
 He has not taken into consideration the historical hostility between
the two.
BAGHLIHAR
BAGHLIHAR DAM
Kishenganga
 In respect of India’s Kishenganga River (which takes the name of

Neelum when it enters Pakistan), the treaty allows India to
construct a hydroelectric project with storage within a certain limit,
on a tributary of the Jhelum River.
 But it does not permit diversion of flows to either another tributary
or to a storage such as Wullar Lake on the main Jhelum.
KISHANGANGA DAM
Kishenganga
 India had completed the 330MW Kishanganga project during the

period the World Bank “paused” the process for constitution of a
Court of Arbitration (COA) as requested by Pakistan in early 2016.
 The Pakistani request was countered by India by calling for a
neutral expert.
Kishenganga
 Pakistan believed that Kishanganga’s pond should be a maximum

of one million cubic meters instead of 7.5 million cubic meters,
 intake should be up to four meters and
 spillways should be raised to nine meters.

2017
 The meetings between Pakistan and India on the technical issues of

the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) took place in Washington on 14-15
September, 2017.
 The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is
permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries
of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions.
Ratle project
 About the Ratle project, Pakistan had four objections.
i. Freeboard should be one metre instead of two metres,
ii. pondage should be a maximum of eight million cubic metres

instead of 24 million,
iii. intake level should be at 8.8 metres and
iv. spillways at the height of 20 metres.

RATLE PROJECT
Ratle project
 It is believed that the Indian design of Ratle project would reduce

Chenab flows by 40 per cent at Head Marala and cause
considerable irrigation loss to crops.
 The Ratle dam is believed to be three times larger than the Baglihar
dam.
2017
 Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330

megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants
being built by India.
 Pakistan had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of
secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT in
March, 2017.
2017
 The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations

between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which
is also a signatory.
 The World Bank’s role in relation to “differences” and “disputes” is
limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when
requested by either or both of the parties.
2017
 Pakistan and India failed to reach an agreement during the latest

round of talks on Indus Water Treaty in September, 2017.
 After the conclusion of the Secretary-level discussions between the
two South Asian neighbours on the technical issues of the
Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric power plants within the
framework of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
Afghanistan:
 During President Hamid Karzai period, India has asked

Afghanistan to construct water projects for energy generation on
River Kabul that flows into Pakistan.
 Energy projects can be of two types . One flow of water is being
used as for energy generation which is not harmful for Pakistan
and secondly conservation of water by construction of dams.
Afghanistan:
 This would naturally reduce the flow of water into Pakistan.
 So some scholars suggest that Pakistan should sign a similar

agreement with Afghanistan as we have with India in order to avert
any water dispute with Afghanistan in future.
Afghanistan
 In case of Pakistan and Afghanistan this is not a serious problem

because both the countries can reach a compromise as one river
Kabul enter into Pakistan’s territory and another river Swat enter
from Pakistani territory to Afghanistan so a compromise can be
made by both the states for their mutual benefits
Other water issues
 water scarcity for crop production,

 salinity & sodicity of fertile soils,
 more erratic and low rainfalls and
 low carrying capacity of rangelands with is a great hazard to
environment as well.
 It is interesting to mention that those who exploited these resources
for the development of the nation (the farmers) are suffering from
vagaries of the nature like droughts, disease epidemics, low
agricultural productivity and poor standard of living.
 The most serious dimension of this state of affairs is that the farming
community is not realizing the severity of the issue in its true spirit
 Apathy
FLOODS IN PAKISTAN
 1950, 1956, 1957, 1973. 1976, 78,88,92,2010
 Recent flash floods caused havocs in the entire length

and breadth of country
 The human losses are around 1500-2000
 The economic losses according to UN GS are around

US$30 Billion
 The damage is mainly to infrastructure, crops and to the
livestock's
 Poor People went below the poverty line
Floods of 2010 and lessons
 the report issued after 2010 floods contained that:

 Cumulative loss till 2009 was US $30 B. 2010 loss was $10
billion
 Unauthorized construction on river banks needs to be undone
 River banks should be expanded
 For stopping flash floods small dams should be constructed
 Plantation must be vigorously encouraged
 Defrostration should be stopped
 Riverine community should be regulated
 storm Drainage system may be worked out in big cities

Way forward
 Pakistan has been able to utilize only 13 per cent of its hydel
resources during the last seven decades, some countries make
optimum use of these resources.
 For example, US has developed 497 per cent storage capacity of the
annual flow of river Colorado,
 Egypt 281 per cent on river Nile and
 India over 35 per cent on Sutlej and Bias Basin.

Way forward
 Meanwhile, fearing scarcity of water, many nations remain engaged

in building mega water reservoirs.
 China is building 95 major dams with a height of 200 feet or more,
 Turkey 51,
 Iran 48,
 Japan 40 and India over 20.

Conclusion
 It is concluded that water is a future source of conflict in the world in

general and in south Asia in particular.
 In case of Pakistan, there are domestic and regional issues regarding
water distribution.
 Such issues must be resolved before a conflict turns into armed conflict.
 Water agreement of 1991 & IWT are examples of dispute resolution.
 A major challenge is to reverse the degradation of natural resources and

minimize damaging effects on the environment. The protection of natural
environment is the responsibility of individuals, organization and
government agencies.

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M U H A M M A D N A V E E D A K B A R

Water Issues in Domestic and Regional Context

 Water related politics is known as hydro politics.

 Hydro politics in Pakistan has two dimensions one is domestic

 From a water-abundant country at the time of Independence,

 which reduced to 5,260 cubic meters in 1951,

 1200 cubic meters in 2007,

 1100 cubic meters in 2009,

 1000 cubic meters in 2010, and

 Went down to 908 cubic meters per head in 2017.

 It was projected to touch down to 800 cubic meters by 2025 if new

 Has been constantly rising due to galloping rise in population,

 Increase in industrial activity,

 Failure to augment water resources and

 Lukewarm cooperation of India, with which Pakistan shares Indus

 In addition to energy, the scarcity of water has remained as one of

 Taking advantage of political wrangling in Pakistan,

 India remains continuously engaged in efforts to build scores of

 India’s tacit role in making economically feasible hydropower

 Pakistan has the largest irrigation system-42 million

 Inter river link canals are 12

 Independent irrigation canal commands 45

 Large dams of height 15 meter and above 143

 Indus River System passes through all the four provinces.

 There were disputes regarding water distribution amongst the

 Water problems may be due to two reasons.

 When there is scarcity of water which lead to droughts in parts of

 Under the Water Apportionment Accord 1991, small federating

Domestics Context-Kalabagh Dam:

 This dam has a capacity of generating electricity of 3600 MW,

 Only Punjab in its favor.

 Faced with such an alarming situation, the country needs to

 Construction of 700 feet high concrete-faced rockfill Mohmand

 Situated near “Bhasha” in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer District,

 and control flood damage by the River Indus.

 Historically speaking, under the Indus Basin Treaty, the World

 Unfortunately, over the years the stand of the smaller provinces on

 Regionally south Asian states have water disputes.

 In case of Pakistan we have problems with India and Afghanistan.

 In 2016, the Indian PM threatened that flow of water to Pakistan

Regional context: India

Regional context: India

 This problem was resolved in 1960 by signing Indus Basin treaty

Regional context: India

Indus Water Treaty:

Indus Water Treaty:

 Pakistan has disputed these claims. The three remaining western

Indus Water Treaty:

Indus Water Treaty:

 Baghlihar, Kishanganga, Rattel dams are some of the disputed

Indus Water Treaty:

 Pakistan can be affected at two occasions, reduced supply of water

 In the last 26 years, the two countries have held 13 rounds of

 Prof Raymond Lafitte of Switzerland, the neutral expert on the

 In respect of India’s Kishenganga River (which takes the name of

 India had completed the 330MW Kishanganga project during the

 Pakistan believed that Kishanganga’s pond should be a maximum

 spillways should be raised to nine meters.

 The meetings between Pakistan and India on the technical issues of

 About the Ratle project, Pakistan had four objections.

i. Freeboard should be one metre instead of two metres,

ii. pondage should be a maximum of eight million cubic metres

iii. intake level should be at 8.8 metres and

iv. spillways at the height of 20 metres.