"India would make Pak barren by 2014 by stopping river waters"

Lahore, Nov 24 : Indus Water Commissioner (Pakistan) chief Jamaat Ali Shah has said that India would make Pakistan barren by 2014 by stopping its water and filling its Baglihar Dam at an increased pace.

Addressing a seminar at the Lahore Press Club, Shah said that India had constructed dams at various rivers and continued doing so.

Speakers from different farmers' organisations said that India had violated the Indus Water Treaty by constructing Baglihar Dam. They said that if the Pakistani government remained silent, India would destroy Pakistan's economy and 'capture the country without a battle'.

Shah said that under the Indus Water Treaty, India was allowed to generate electricity on the flow of the river but could not stop Pakistan's water. "Doing that amounted to violation of the treaty," the Daily Times quoted him as saying.

Talking about the recent water stoppage issue in his country, Shah said India had claimed it had stopped Pakistan's water from August 19 to 28. However, according to Pakistan's estimate, India had stopped its water until September 5, he added.

Shah said that Pakistan had told India that it had violated the treaty and demanded that India compensate its neighbour by supplying the amount of water withheld. He added an Indian delegation would visit Pakistan on November 29 to discuss the issue.

Chief Minister's Agriculture Task Force Chairman Shuja Khanzada said that the Punjab government was committed to facilitating farmers. "By improving the economic conditions of our farmers, Pakistan's economy will be revived," he said, adding once the economy was revived Pakistan would not beg for money from any other country.

"We want to bring Pakistan at the level where it will give loans to others," he said and added that stopping Pakistan's share of water by India would worsen the situation.

ANI