Gadkari's decision to 'stop' water doesn't concern us, says Pakistan

New Delhi: A day after Union minister Nitin Gadkari browbeat to stop the flow of India's share of river water to Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty, the secretary of Pakistan’s ministry of water resources, Khawaja Shumail was recorded stating that Islamabad has neither concern nor objection if India stops it, diverts it or supplies to its people.

“We have neither concern nor objection if India diverts water of eastern rivers and supplies it to its people or uses it for other purposes, as the IWT allows it do so,” Dawn was reported saying.

In the Pulwama terror attack aftermath, Gadkari had tweeted that India has decided to "stop" the flow of its share of water to Pakistan from rivers under the Indus Water Treaty.

An official, however, clarified it later that it was not a "new decision" and that the minister was "simply reiterating" what he has always said.

The reiteration to stop the flow of Indus water to Pakistan comes amid mounting Indo-Pak tension over the Pulwama attack by Pakistan based 'Jaish-e-Mohammad' terror group that has triggered demands for action against the terror funding country.

In order to build pressure on Pakistan to fight off terrorism under its territory, India has revoked the Most Favoured Nation status given to Pakistan and has been trying to use diplomatic ways to isolate it in the international community.

"Regarding the tweet (by Gadkari) about Indus treaty, this is not a new decision. Mantriji is simply reiterating what he has always said. He is talking about diverting India's share of Indus water which was going to Pakistan - and he has always been saying this," Information Officer in-charge of Water Resources Ministry Neeta Prasad later told media.

The decision may take up to six years for being implemented as dams as high as 100 metres will have to be built to stop the water flow.

However, demands to stop the flow of India's share of Indus water to Pakistan were raised after the Uri terror attack in 2016.

Under the Indus Water Treaty signed in 1960, the waters of the western rivers — the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — was given to Pakistan and those of the eastern rivers — the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — to India.

Interestingly, what Pakistan is being threaten of by Indian Ministry, constitutes close to 5 per cent water or 1.6 million acres feet (MAF), whereas, India's share of water from Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers came to 33 MAF, that is about 95 per cent of the water which is used in the country.

To gain access to this water, India has now started to build more dams to complete cut off Pakistan from accessing this water.