Pakistan had allowed India to fill the Baglihar dam between 10 August and 30 August 2008 on the condition that the level at Head Marala remained above 55,000 cusecs as agreed in the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). However, New Delhi violated the IWT and filled the Baglihar reservoir in 10 days instead of completing the process in a period of 60 to 70 days.
Additionally India claimed that it stopped water flow to Pakistan from August 19 to 28, while Pakistan maintained that India stopped its water inflow until September 5. 2008.
"India''s violation of the IWT caused a reduction of river Chenab flow by 35,000 cusecs a day against the agreed release of 55,000 cusecs," said Pakistan Indus Waters Commissioner, Jamaat Ali Shah while taking to Business Recorder. Replying to a question, he said that inflows in rivers are historically declining due to rising aridity in the region since 2001 and it has nothing to do with India diverting water into its canals.
Presently, water in three rivers is 13, 4300 acre feet, of which India has already consumed 600,000 to 700,000 acre feet and we have requested India to release more water for Pakistan, he added. The Punjab government had informed the federal government that crops on thousands of acres in Sialkot and Narowal districts have been affected with a reduction in flows from India. The provincial government had also estimated the consequent loss at about Rs 50 billion.
Pakistan demanded compensation for the 200,000 acre feet shortfall in Chenab River water caused by the filling of Baglihar Dam. The water shortfall, which was met from Mangla, was experienced in Sialkot and Narowal for 10 to 12 days.
The flow of Chenab was interrupted despite repeated assurances from the top Indian leadership. During the 24 September meeting between President Zardari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York, Singh had assured uninterrupted flow of water of Chenab into Pakistan. Similarly, on 24 October, Manmohan Singh in his meeting with Prime Minister Gilani in Beijing had observed that India wanted to work seriously to resolve the water dispute with Pakistan and the issue "would not be allowed to affect the peace process between the two neighbouring countries". On 25 October, Gilani and Manmohan Singh met again on the sidelines of the 7th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit and agreed to resolve the issue in a peaceful manner in line with the IWT. However, contrary to the assurances of Indian Prime Minister, Indian authorities did not resolve the water issue.
In fact, President Zardari had to make it clear to the Indians that a violation of the 1960 IWT would damage bilateral ties. He stressed that "India should not trade off important regional objectives for short-term domestic goals".
The issue was taken up at the bilateral level and water talks held in October and November but no headway was made. The parties met in New Delhi on October 23-24, but there was a wide discrepancy between the statistics produced by the two parties to the dispute.
During Pakistan''s Indus Water Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah''s visit to India in November, both countries exchanged data about the water flows in the Chenab River, but India objected to the data compiled by Pakistan and asked for a visit to Marala Headworks to carry out its own inspection. An Indian delegation visited Pakistan on 29 November and rejected the demand for "compensation", maintaining that the charge was "unsubstantiated".
"We are still pursuing the Indian government for compensation and the matter is still pending," said Shah. According to media reports, water flows in Chenab have declined by 40 percent to about 6,000 cusecs from a 10-year average of about 10,000 cusecs, mainly because of construction by India of over a dozen hydropower projects upstream, reduction in rainfall and diversion of river waters, but the officials are of the view that main reasons of reduction in flows are rising aridity. "I hope the water situation will improve in February or March after the rains," he concluded.