The projects, if planned methodically and in a balanced frame of mind, should have kept in mind the exact quantum of waters that the state is allowed to tap from the Indus river instead of relying on the dream of undoing the treaty. Instead of making realistic plans and implementing with a holistic approach, one can t think about undoing treaties, against which we can hold no grudges. Worldwide, treaties have been signed between different nations for sharing waters of rivers or over other common problems. After India s partition in 1947, Indus river, which, fortunately or unfortunately flows through both the countries like most other north Indian rivers, was not the only casualty of division. The rivers of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir too, automatically, stood divided just like the land.
Rivers don t belong more to the hills or the plains.
Nobody owns them or possesses them with exclusive proprietary rights. They have to be shared and for this purpose and making the process of sharing more simplistic and uncomplicated, water treaties are agreed upon and signed, not to be unsigned again, though of course, they can be reviewed during some course of time. In another language, we can only call it political black-mail. But leave it to national Conference leaders. Some of them, like the works minister Ali Mohd.