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Thursday, September 8, 2016

Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan

The Indus Waters Treaty is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan brokered by the World Bank(then the International Bank for Reconstuction and Development)which was signed by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan on September 19, 1960

According to this agreement, control over the three "eastern" rivers — the Beas, Ravi and Sutlej — was given to India and the three "western" rivers — the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum — to Pakistan.

More controversial, however, were the provisions on how the waters were to be shared.

Since Pakistan's rivers flow through India first, the treaty allowed India to use them for irrigation, transport and power generation, while laying down precise do's and don'ts for Indian building projects along the way

The treaty was a result of Pakistani fear that since the source rivers of the Indus basin were in  India, it could potentially create droughts and famines in Pakistan, especially at times of war.

Since the ratification of the treaty in 1960, India and Pakistan have not engaged in any water wars

Most disagreements and disputes have been settled via legal procedures, provided for within the framework of the treaty.

The treaty is considered to be one of the most successful watersharing endeavours in the world today even though analysts acknowledge the need to update certain technical specifications and expand the scope of the document to include climate change

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