Author: Our Correspondent
Publication: Daily Jang
Date: February 16, 2005
URL: http://www.jang-group.com/thenews/feb2005-daily/16-02-2005/main/main15.htm
War with India could an option to
settle the Baglihar dam issue, Federal Education Minister and former ISI
DG Qazi Javed Ashraf told the Senate on Tuesday.
He was responding to the opposition
criticism of the government failure to stop India from constructing the
Baglihar dam. He said Pakistan should pin a little hope on the World Bank
efforts to resolve the issue. "What is the option?" he asked from the opposition
benches and added, without waiting for the reply, "War is the only option."
He said India had already constructed
a few dams in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty. He said Islamabad held
negotiations with Delhi on all controversial dams but failed to get the
desired results.
He accused a former political government
in Pakistan of remaining silent when India constructed the Salal dam. He
said the said government even did not bother to approach the World Bank.
He said India was also going ahead
with Kishanganga hydro-electric project in violation of the Indus Waters
Treaty. The minister gave credit to the present government for taking up
the Baglihar dam issue with the World Bank.
Opposition Leader Raza Rabbani blamed
the government for surrendering rights of Pakistan to India. He said the
World Bank had categorically said that it was not a guarantor and the process
of appointment of a neutral expert and subsequent decisions would be a
long process. He said the World Bank had not bothered to ask India to stop
work on the dam. He accused the government of keeping mum over the sensitive
issue.
