Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Information and Broadcasting Minister Maryam Aurangzeb has stated that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has invited India for dialogue under his peaceful neighbourhood vision.

She said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif believes in reconciliation and consultation and the government has capability to develop consensus by consultation with the political parties to cope the water challenge. She said that dialogue was the only way to resolve outstanding water issues between India and Pakistan.

She stated this, while addressing a ceremony on “Pakistan’s Water Challenges” organised by the think tank Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) Pakistan. She said that Pakistan can handle the challenge of water crisis if India violates the Indus Water Treaty (IWT).

The event was attended by Hasan Nasir Jami, Additional Secretary Ministry of Water and Power, Syed Meher Ali Shah, Joint Secretary Ministry of Water of Power, Simi Kamal, Expert water issues, Hina Lotia, Director Programmes LEAD, Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, CEO LEAD Pakistan along with policy makers and sector experts.

Maryam said that for the first time in the history, Pakistan is undertaking a review of the Indus Water Treaty to identify gaps that threaten county’s future water sustainability. She underlined that Pakistan’s Water Policy is in the final stage and has been sent to the council of common interest, once approved its conserves as a framework to address water challenges. Defence Analyst Lt Gen (r) Talat Masood said that Indian has been using water as a weapon to isolate and harm Pakistan.

Distorting the Indus Water treaty would lead to serious consequences therefore all matters of India and Pakistan should be solved on the table’ he added.

Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, CEO LEAD Pakistan said that water conflicts can only be averted and benefits and efficiency maximised through trust building, cooperation and adoption of benefit sharing approaches.

‘Pakistan is among countries, suffering from an alarming water shortage as Its per capita annual water availability is 1,017 cubic meters – perilously close to the scarcity threshold of 1,000 cubic meters and if no immediate action is taken, it may soon turn into a water scarce country’ he added.

He said that government needs to take a proactive approach and devise and implement future plans “We wait until a crisis hits us and then we start pointing fingers in every direction except towards ourselves,” he added.

Simi Kamal, a water expert, said, “With the average global temperature and our population on the rise, we not only desperately need a long term water plan, but also the will and money to implement it. She said that extreme deficit of trust among the stakeholders is posing huge threat to the country’s security, stability and environmental sustainability.