5. Back Ground
• Came to light on April 1,1948 after
partition of Punjab
• Cut across the rivers and canals
• India cutoff flow of canal water to West
Punjab
• Stopped the water of the rivers Ravi and
Sutlej
• India wanted to damage Pakistan
economically
6. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
• Ferozepur and Madhopur head-works
given to India.
• June 1947, Kashmiris revolted against
Maharaja of Kashmir.
• Maharaja signed accession with India on
26th October 1947.
• Standstill Agreement signed on 18
December 1947.
• India cut off supplies from Ferozepur on 1 st
April 1948.
7. Effects
• It was a grave blow to agriculture of
Pakistan
• Pakistan’s agriculture vitally and entirely
depend on canals drawn from Indus
• Rain fall is scanty and undependable
• Effected agriculture very badly
• Pakistan also purchased water from India
to avoid economic disaster.
9. Role of World Bank
• Critical disputes resolution was the
intervention of the World Bank
• Both countries had applied to W.B. for
development loans
• WB decided to refuse development loans
to India and Pakistan
10. WB Con’t
WB would approve loans if 3 conditions
were met:
• 1)Indus basin had enough water for both
countries
• 2) The basin was treated as a single unit
implying all the rivers were to be
discussed
• 3) Past grievances put aside and technical
rather than a political focus retained
11. WB Plan
• Divide Indus Basin into 2 parts
• India- 3 eastern rivers i.e. Sutlej, Beas,
and Ravi
• Pakistan – 3 western rivers i.e. Chenab ,
Jhelum and the Indus
12. WB con’t
• Pakistan – not fully convinced refused to
sign until 1958
• Treaty formalized 1960
14. Indus Waters Treaty
• The Indus Waters Treaty is a water
sharing treaty between the Republic of
India and Islamic republic of Pakistan
• The treaty was a result of Pakistani fear
that since the source rivers of the Indus
basin were in India
• It could potentially create droughts and
famines in Pakistan, especially at times of
war.
15. Con’t
• The treaty was signed in Karachi
on September 19, 1960
• By Indian Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru and President of
Pakistan Mohammad Ayub Khan
17. Clauses of Treaty
• The Indus System of Rivers comprises
three Western Rivers the Indus, the
Jhelum and Chenab and three Eastern
Rivers - the Sutlej, the Beas and the Ravi;
and with minor exceptions
• the treaty gives India exclusive use of all
of the waters of the Eastern Rivers and
their tributaries before the point where the
rivers enter Pakistan
18. Con’t
• Pakistan has exclusive use of the Western
Rivers- the Indus, the Jhelum and Chenab
• The agreement set up a commission to
adjudicate any future disputes arising over
the allocation of waters
• The Commission is required to meet
regularly to discuss potential disputes as
well as cooperative arrangements for the
development of the basin
19. Con’t
• Either party must notify the other of plans
to construct any engineering works which
would affect the other party and to provide
data about such works
• In cases of disagreement, a neutral expert
is called in for mediation and arbitration
• Commission was created to resolve, the
annual inspections and exchange of data
continue, unperturbed by tensions on the
subcontinent.
21. Conclusion
• India always want to damage Pakistan
economically
• The Indus Water Treaty (1960) signed
with India under Stress
• It was a result of Pakistan’s fear that since
the source rivers of the Indus basin were
in India
22. Con’t
• No interference was agreed by India and
Pakistan in the natural flows of the
western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and
Chenab) and eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas
and Sutlej), respectively
• Pakistan strongly object to the designs of
such projects for having potential to
change / disrupt flows downstream
• It is in the interest of India and Pakistan to
follow the treaty in letter and spirit
23. Con’t
• Undisturbed flow from the western rivers is
must for survival of the country – no one
should be allowed to play with it as it is
matter of life and death for Pakistan.
• We must have a strategy to ensure so.
Absence of such strategy could spell
disaster for the entire region!!!!
