Former Indian minister warns of 'grave consequences' of blocking Pakistan water

KARACHI: Former Indian minister Saifuddin Soz has warned the Modi government of grave consequences if it blocks the flow of water into Pakistan's Indus river, amid mounting tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors over the Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK).

Former Indian minister for water resources Saifuddin Soz said that if India blocked Pakistan's water, then it will have to pay a huge price of it, warning that China can divert the flow of Brahmaputra river within weeks.

"In that case, several Indian states would be plunged into darkness," he said, urging the Modi government to not put the country on stake for the sake of politics. The long-time member of the Indian parliament said that those talking of revoking the Indus Water Treaty are also an enemy of the Indian people.

"China has got such technology that it can divert the flow of river Brahmaputra within weeks and this would plunge several states including Punjab, Haryana and Delhi into darkness," Soz warned.

On Monday, Indian PM Narendra Modi met with officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.

According to Indian media, New Delhi ruled out cancelling the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan but is looking for ways of increasing its use of waters that flow from India but are controlled by Pakistan. During the meeting Modi was quoted as saying “water and blood can’t flow at the same time”.

India media quoted official sources as saying the meeting decided to suspend further water talks and increase the utilisation of rivers flowing through Occupied Kashmir to maximise India’s share.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra and other officials. The decision to review the treaty with Pakistan comes following the Uri attack in Occupied Kashmir in which 18 Indian soldiers killed.

Former Indus Water Commissioner Jamat Ali Shah also on Monday slammed India for threatening to block the flow of water into Pakistan's Indus river. "What should we believe of what the Indian PM says: ending poverty or blocking flow of water into Pakistan," he said. "This is open economic terrorism."

The former commissioner expressed fears that if the Indus Water Treaty ended then neighboring arch-rival may build up dams on Jhelum and Chenab rivers.