Water conflict between Pakistan and India: Implications to regional peace and security

Pakistan and India are water stressed countries and the seed of water conflict between the two has been sowed by the Punjab boundary commission at the time of Partition. Trans-boundary water treaties have played a significant role in resolving the water disputes though the mechanism of conflict resolution varies and structurally fails to address the future problems that may arise. Indus Water Treaty (IWT) has been examined as an efficacious Model of conflict resolution and induced cooperation from 1960s to 1980s. Pakistan claimed that India is violating IWT by building dams and diverting waters of Western Rivers flowing from India to Pakistan. Therefore, the research attempts to answer the following questions. What is the cumulative effect of Indian dams being constructed on the Western Rivers? Can India Unilaterally withdraw the treaty? What would be the implications if India violates the treaty? Holistic content analysis of qualitative method and conflict theory has been used to investigate the water conflict between Pakistan and India. The key findings are that violation of treaty by India is perceived as security threat by Pakistan and also increase its economic concerns. The tension between the two neighbours over water sharing can lead to water war which poses serious threats to regional peace and security.

Indus Water Treaty in the Backdrop of Climate Change and its Consequences

Climate change is the main driving force that shall affect global distribution of water in future. It has already effected water variation in some regions in the world including the Himalayan countries which face rapid decline in water reserves. This climate change-driven water variation is likely to affect transboundary water sharing treaties and agreements, and may force the water sharing nations either to conflict or cooperation policies.

Indus Water Treaty: Challenges and Prospects

The growing water scarcity in India and Pakistan and emerging climatic and environmental changes to the Indus basin rivers system are causing a great stress on smoothing working of Indus water treaty 1960. Pakistan Being a lower riparian, facing the issue as to how to reinterpret the Indus Waters Treaty without giving up its water rights. The paper discusses that following the inbuilt constraints of a lower riparian, Pakistan need to adopt a multi-pronged strategy following water rationale to secure its water rights within the scope of the treaty. For this; effective implementation and enhancement of Article VI, VII, constructive diplomatic and political strategy,efficient water uses and sustainable water resource management in Indus-Pakistan.

INDO-PAK HYDROPOLITICS: IMPLICATIONS FOR DISPUTED JAMMU AND KASHMIR

India and Pakistan have been fighting over Kashmir, a contested region that is claimed by both the countries. Competition over waterways and dependence over water assets of Kashmir remains a bone of contention between India and Pakistan. This Research paper discusses the dependence of India and Pakistan over water sources originating from Kashmir. Kashmir, besides emotional attachment also has strategic, economic and political benefits for India and Pakistan. In the twenty first century, traditional concepts of state security have been changed. We have moved from traditional security aspects to non-traditional security aspects. Water is included in one of the non-traditional security aspects. India having all cards in hands is showing its’ hegemonic by choking the loose points of Pakistan. Though Indus Water treaty was signed in 1960’s to resolve the water issues between the two countries, but still we have not found any direct solution that will resolve the water crisis and provide permanent peace in the region. There is no way forward which will provide a win win situation for India, Pakistan and Kashmir in Indus water treaty. The researcher accounted that Indus Water Treaty has proved successful as far as its’ theoretical approach is concerned, but has failed in implementation and practicality. The researcher has used Hourglass model to analyze the Indus Water Treaty and to suggest the way forward that will lead towards a conflict resolution. Mixed methods have been used in the research from secondary sources to analyze water dependence. The research also seeks to analyze Indus water treaty and to explore the prospects for equal division of water resources. The subject matter of the research is Indo-Pak water dependency over water of Kashmir with a focus on how it will contribute towards the socio-economic status of India and Pakistan in the region and also how much dependence on water would affect the regional peace and stability in Kashmir conflict. Keywords: Conflict resolution, Hourglass glass model, Kashmir conflict, India-Pakistan water dependency, Indus water Treaty, Composite Dialogue process.

Hydro-Hegemony Framework: A study of the India Pakistan trans-boundary water competition and cooperation

After the independence of Pakistan and India in 1947, both the newly established states submerged in many tensions leading to competition in many areas. One such area is the hydro competition between the two closely bordering states. Within this context, India and Pakistan kicked by perianal security dilemma at all levels. India is diverting water from western rivers which is not permissible for India in Indus Water Treaty. The Purpose of this study is to find out the reason/s that why India is behaving in this way? This is an applied research within the context of Hydro-Hegemony Framework (HHF) theory. According to the theory, India is behaving hydro-hegemonically because of the three reasons stated by Hydro-Hegemony Framework; firstly, because of Indian advantageous upper-riparian geographical position; secondly, because of Indian superior technical potential and ability to construct a lot of dams; thirdly power asymmetry exists between India and Pakistan. India because of these three main reasons is desirous to get “Consolidated Water Control” over three western rivers assigned to Pakistan by Indus Water Treaty. Indian endeavors to get water dominance would complicate its relations with Pakistan. Indian hydro-hegemony would impact Pakistan’s economy, hydro-power generations projects, agriculture sectors and domestic hydro-usage.

Water Politics between Pakistan and India: An Analysis

Pakistan is blessed with rich natural resources in which water resources are the major ones. Yet the level of this important resource has been reached at an alarming level due to myriad factors such as misuse, mismanagement, and politics in water sectors at both levels national and international. The study is presenting an overview of the state of the Indus Water Treaty, Indus River Basin, and conflict between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). The focus of the study is to reveal the hegemony of India on international waters and its relations with the outer world. Moreover, the research study has presented root causes of the water crisis, hydro politics in the South Asia region, the hegemony of India on international waters. Water management policies and co-operation mechanism is required between Pakistan and India to cope with the challenge of water shortage.

Indus Water Treaty: Past Present and Future

Natural resources are fundamental and imperative for the existence and evolution of human civilizations. Water being most important scarce natural resource has become a contentious political issue in the world. South Asia being a less connected and conflict ridden region, Water related conflicts have been a dominant area of concern. At the time of independence, the boundary line between the two newly created independent countries, i.e. Pakistan and India was drawn right across the Indus Basin, leaving Pakistan as the lower riparian. Dispute thus arose between the two countries regarding the utilization of irrigation waters from existing facilities. The negotiations held under the World Bank, culminated in the signing of Indus Waters Treaty in 1960. The paper will examine the historical background of the treaty; the contentious developments which have arose over the years and will also discuss the Kashmir perspective on the treaty. The paper will also evaluate the present disagreeing arguments of both states over the treaty.