The Pakistani farmers and political factions now protesting against India's alleged violations of the Indus Water Treaty also love to complain about their own country's chief representative on treaty issues, Indus Water commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah, accusing him of failing to stand up for Pakistan's interests. "All political parties have turned against him," one activist said. A trained engineer, he has served in his post for almost two decades and brings a cold rationality to water questions - something he admits isn't popular as the conflict heats up.
Why are so many Pakistanis unhappy with the Indus Water Treaty?
India got the headworks of our canals [during partition in 1947]and wanted to green their deserts. Pakistan could not afford a war. We were a new state, with meagre resources. So we made this treaty. It was not a happy marriage. People often say the treaty isn't good, but we own it. We have to work with it.
How can it work?
The big problem right now is nobody trusts the numbers. If we keep disputing the data, there will be no end to it. We need real-time telemetry, monitored by a neutral agency. [Last week, Mr. Shah got his wish: India agreed in principle to install satellite telemetry systems on the Indus rivers.]
What do your statistics show?
The amount of water arriving from the Indian side has fallen in the last few years. Maybe it's natural climate fluctuations. Maybe deforestation is hurting rainfall in the mountains. Maybe somehow it's related to global warming. We need to find out.
Why is Pakistan so sensitive to India's plans to build hydroelectric plants upstream?
The issue is gates. Why does India need gates on the rivers? Why does it need the ability to cut off our water, even temporarily? They are pushing the limits of the treaty. They are breaking the spirit of the agreement. They promise not to manipulate our water, but who knows what can happen in the future?