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Q.435 Water dispute with Pakistan
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 435
TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.02.2010
SHRI VILAS MUTTEMVAR:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the attention of the Government has been drawn towards the statement made by the Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan expressing possibility of a war breaking out between both the Countries on the issue of water;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan threatened to take water dispute to the International Arbitrator; and
(d) if so, the reaction of the Indian Government thereto?
ANSWER THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI S.M. KRISHNA)
(a) to (c) Government has seen reports regarding the remarks made by Adviser to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Education, Sardar Aseff Ali stating , inter alia, that India will have to stop “stealing” Pakistan's water as Pakistan will not hesitate to wage war with New Delhi if it does not stop doing so and that the distribution of water is a sensitive issue and it may trigger a war between India and Pakistan, and Pakistan might seek international arbitration on the water issue by taking it up with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or the United Nations Security Council if India tried to construct any more dams that affect Pakistan's share of water.
(d) The allegation that India has denied Pakistan the share of water it is entitled to under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan, is completely baseless and has been categorically rejected. The Government is in full compliance with the Treaty. All issues regarding the implementation of the Treaty should be resolved through the existing mechanisms under the IWT.