Barrister Farogh Naseem said that disputes related to water between Pakistan and India started in 1948, right after both countries became independent. Both the countries have fought two wars on the issue of water while both parties complied with the Indus Basin Treaty of 1960. He said India has now started using the water from rivers Indus, Jhelum and Chenab for industrial purposes which is a violation of the Treaty which made sure India could only use water to generate electricity from these rivers if it doesn't disrupt water supply to Pakistan. India cannot unilaterally annul the Treaty since it can only be done mutually, the minister maintained.
He said India plans to build dams over Jehlum and Chenab which is of great concern to Pakistan. The world must take notice of water aggression by India and the World Bank needs to play a neutral role in this regard, he argued.
Farogh Naseem stated that Indus River is the longest river in Asia and 47 percent of it falls in the territory of Pakistan. According to the Article 3 of Indus Water Treaty (IWT), there must be unrestricted flow of water. India is using this water for building its technical infrastructure. However, the requirement of Pakistan is to use this water for basic agriculture and domestic needs. Usage of water for basic agriculture and domestic use is more important rather for establishment of the infrastructure. So this is an international human rights issue.
The problem lies in the implementation of Indus Water Treaty. India time and again threatens Pakistan to cancel the Treaty; however, it cannot do so, as this is the only Treaty which cannot be terminated without mutual consent. The present situation is alarming and demands the resolution of this conflict through IWT, otherwise IWT is merely a piece of paper and if this conflict is not resolved now, it can lead to a bigger conflict in future. World Bank must also play its role in this regard. Disturbing the timings of water flow is violation and must be taken into consideration.
Chairman Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Lt General Muzammil Hussain (retd) presented a speech on "Water Resource Management: Challenges & Opportunities for Pakistan". Hussain stated that there is no need to panic, as there is no water shortage and there is only a need to manage these resources efficiently. He stated that data regarding water resources is important as it is essential for research and future hydel projects. He stated that Pakistan is a water-stressed country as per capita availability of water is low and "we need to conserve, store and manage our water resources." "Along with this, we need to handle our population growth." He added.
He said, "Presently Pakistan does not have sufficient finances to build water dams but we have to come up with more innovative financial mechanism." According to the Vision 2050, 20-million acres of land will be under irrigation. He stated that in June 2019, the Diamer-Bhasha Dam will be made functional.
Chairman Forte Integrated Water Resources Management, Lahore, Dr Hassan Abbas said, "We are the signatories of Sustainable Developments Goals (SDG's), therefore our future projects must comply with it." Indus Delta is eroding and is going under the sea at the rate of 24 acres per day. He further stated, "Independent flow of water is very important. Pakistan can generate more from water than the UAE can generate from oil and we should think globally but act locally."
Former Chairman Planning Commissions Hydro Power and Alternative Energy Working Group, Imtiaz Ali Qazilbash said that Punjab has suffered the most from the water shortage. The government will start another series of projects under which 19 small dams will be built for efficient water management.
The head of department of humanities and social sciences, Bahria University, said that according to the report presented by Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) in 2030, 47 percent of global population will be living in highly water-stressed environment.
Former Commander of Sri Lankan Navy on Maritime Security Governance in Indian Ocean Region, Admiral Dr Jayanath Colombage (retd) stated that insecurity of one country leads to insecurity of other states and spiral into an arm's race. Therefore, there is need to commence confidence building measures in diplomatic and strategic areas. He said that it is the best time to talk about this in South Asia. Insecurity of oil exporting Gulf countries is also a major concern for Indian Ocean. India-Pakistan mistrust is a major strategic concern, as both states are nuclear powers and both accuse each other of cross-border terrorism, he added.
Former Chairman of Karachi Port Trust, Vice Admiral Ahmed Tasnim (retd) said, "We need to first put our own house in order and create awareness amongst the youth of Pakistan through our educational institutes."
Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan Jononov Sherali stated that humans misuse the natural resources. Tajikistan has great water resources and hydropower potential. Water is a strategic resource of Tajikistan, he said.