ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP):Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah informed the Senate on Thursday that Pakistan had raised the issue of India’s weaponization of water at various international forums. Responding to observations raised by Senator Jam Saifullah Khan, he said India is constructing five dams on Chenab River and aims to complete them in the next four to five years. He said that once completed, these …
Pakistan raises India’s weaponization of water at international forums
ISLAMABAD, Jun 18 (APP):Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah informed the Senate on Thursday that Pakistan had raised the issue of India’s weaponization of water at various international forums.
Responding to observations raised by Senator Jam Saifullah Khan, he said India is constructing five dams on Chenab River and aims to complete them in the next four to five years.
He said that once completed, these projects would enable India to halt the flow of water of Chenab for a period ranging from 60 to 90 days.
“India wants to weaponize water against Pakistan. Whenever our crops need water, it will stop the flow, and when we no longer need it, the water may be released suddenly, causing floods and devastation,” he said.
Rana Sanaullah said Pakistan could adopt a counterstrategy by constructing water reservoirs at three to four sites on River Chenab.
He said that these reservoirs would allow Pakistan to store water when India releases excess flows and utilize the reserves during periods when the river’s flow is restricted.
“The only effective response is to create our own storage capacity. Pakistan must construct reservoirs on the Chenab so that when India releases excess water we can store it, and when it withholds water we can utilize our reserves,” he said.
The Adviser said experts had already identified three to four suitable sites on the Chenab where water reservoirs could be developed to strengthen Pakistan’s water security and protect the agricultural sector.
Sanaullah said that the reservations of lower riparian provinces were genuine and should be addressed through consultation, transparency and confidence-building measures.
He said that modern water monitoring and management systems could be introduced to ensure transparent regulation of water flows and equitable distribution among all provinces.
“Provincial concerns must be removed first. A transparent mechanism acceptable to all federating units can be developed so that no province feels deprived,” he said.
Rana Sanaullah said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had also been briefed on the issue and agreed that provincial reservations should be addressed before moving ahead with major water-storage projects.
He termed the Senate the most appropriate forum for a national discussion on the issue and called for a unified response to what he described as a growing strategic challenge.
He urged policymakers and stakeholders to evolve a national consensus on water storage projects, saying timely action was essential to neutralize India’s attempts to use water as a strategic weapon against Pakistan.
