Water sharing in the Indus River basin : application of integrated water resources management

Rise in population growth needs high demand of limited water to meet the challenges of high food requirements and it creates an environment of conflicts. The extent of conflicts varies from regional tensions to violence and it depends on the importance of water resources and relationships between the parties. In case of international rivers, the conflict over share water resources is quite common. However, shared rivers are not always prone to conflict; it could provide an opportunity to bring the riparian countries to the negotiation table and make them involve in more cooperative process. The guidelines has provided in integrated water resource management framework help the policy makers and states to manage their water issues in more effective and efficient way. Indus river water is mostly shared between Pakistan and India. This river system is a source of life for billions of people in both countries. An Indus water treaty 1960 agreement was signed between both countries for sharing the water resources. But, due to increase in population growth and uncertainty in river water and acute water shortage, there is a dispute among India and Pakistan. As both countries are trying hard to get high access of water by constructing hydropower and navigational projects. This case study analyzes the nature of disputes. Attempts are made to provide relevant information by using several secondary sources. After analyzing the problematic situation, recommendations are made. The three main issues of Indus water disputes are: limitations in IWT, lack of trust and cooperation and high politics. There is a need to revise the Indus Water Treaty according to the IWRM principles in order to promote cooperation between India and Pakistan and to achieve an improved desirable situation. In the presence of high political will and commitment, the IWRM framework of enabling environment, institutional arrangement and managing instrument are the best tool for the successful application of IWRM at basin level.