Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the Indus Waters Treaty should continue to remain suspended. He said people in the region have long faced restrictions on using their own water resources because of the agreement.
Omar criticised Pakistan's position on the treaty, saying its claim of supporting Kashmiris does not extend to the issue of water.
“Our lifeblood has been drained. These are our rivers and we had the first right over them. Pakistan says it stands with Kashmiris, but that concern disappears when it comes to water. Where was this concern when we were denied the right to use our own rivers? We have suffered because of this treaty for years,” he said.
“The Indus Waters Treaty is suspended and it should stay that way so that we can make better use of our water resources,” he added.
India put the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty on hold following the Pahalgam terror attack. The Centre had said the treaty would remain in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ends its support for cross-border terrorism.
The suspension could have major implications for Pakistan, which depends heavily on the Indus river system. The system provides water for around 80 per cent of its 16 million hectares of farmland and accounts for about 93 per cent of the country's total water use. It supports nearly 237 million people and contributes around a quarter of Pakistan's GDP through crops such as wheat, rice and cotton.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has warned of a “direct response” over the water issue. His remarks came as the country continues to face several internal challenges, including rising militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, unrest and alleged human rights violations in Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, as well as the continued detention of former prime minister Imran Khan.
Sharif again targeted India in his remarks. Speaking at an event ahead of Pakistan's Independence Day on Thursday, he said that if India did not “come to the right path”, his country would give a direct response.
On another issue, Omar condemned the attack on Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. “We condemn this attack. Such incidents should not take place. A similar attack had earlier taken place in Amritsar, after which it was said that his security would be strengthened. He has Z-plus security, but what kind of Z-plus security is this? This is the second attack, and this time he had to be taken to hospital,” Omar said.
He said political differences should be settled through democratic means and not violence. “If you have a grievance against someone, you can raise it during elections. But attacking someone is extremely dangerous for democracy,” he said.
Sukhbir Singh Badal, the SAD chief and former Punjab deputy chief minister, was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon inside a gurdwara in Maharashtra's Nanded on Thursday. He was later taken to a hospital for treatment.
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