The Pakistan Economy Watch said that Islamabad needs to lessen its dependence on arch-rivals India and Afghanistan for water by constructing dams and water reservoirs. Think tanks in Pakistan are very apprehensive of India breaking the Indus Water Treaty and cutting off all water supplies to Pakistan during a possible conflict.
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“Limiting the dependence on enemy nations like India and Afghanistan is fundamental for national security as water is being used as a powerful threat to blackmail Pakistan,” The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) said. Dams will not only guarantee consistent water and security but also diminish dependence on fossil fuels, balancing the energy mix which is profoundly tilted towards oil.
India Has Taken the Conflict to Afghanistan?
Earlier, as EurAsian Times reported, India-Pakistan War will now find a new battleground on the waters of the Kabul river. Capitalising on the good shape of India-Afghanistan relations the two nations look to build 12 hydroelectric projects on river Kabul. These projects will skew the flow of river Kabul into Pakistan consequently creating a water crisis like situation in Pakistan. Islamabad has alleged that New Delhi has taken India-Pakistan War over Water to Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the cost of Diamer-Basha dam in Pakistan was estimated to be Rs 1,450 billion in 2008 while the allocation for the dam for the year 2018-19 stands at Rs 23.50 billion, which is unusual. Dr Mughal from PEW said that the cost of building the dam has jumped by billions due to impediments and exchange rate depletion.
