• Enhanced capacity on Jhelum, Chenab will increase flood, drought risks for Pakistan• At federal-provincial dialogue, Wapda chief stresses need for large damsISLAMABAD: Around $60 billion in investment by New Delhi on storage projects along the two major western rivers — the Jhelum and Chenab — flowing from India-held Kashmir could soon become a lethal weapon against Pakistan, potentially causing both floods and droughts.At a recent federal-provincial dialogue on water storage projects, Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman retired Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed reported that India’s $60bn investment plan was estimated to increase New Delhi’s storage capacity on these rivers to 55-60 days, up from around 15 days at present.“Such capacity could cause drought in Pakistan, given a nearly two-month window to stop normal flows, particularly when crops need crucial water downstream,” a participant at the briefing told Dawn. “Conversely, India can trigger floods at will during monsoon or heavy rainfall by releasing stored water, something it has been doing recently even with its existing 15-day storage capacity,” he added.Therefore, Pakistan must urgently build large reservoirs as preparedness measures to capture floodwaters for use when India disrupts flows, and to hold substantial quantities in case of sudden discharges to avoid devastation.The Wapda chairman stressed that Pakistan would need new flood reservoirs to conserve surplus water and mitigate potential shocks.An official said Pakistan must aggressively develop water storage to capture repeated annual floodwaters that otherwise flow into the sea. Weaponisation of river flows by India through ongoing investments, the official warned, could pose existential challenges.Held on Feb 17, the session was presided over by Water Resources Minister Mian Moeen Wattoo and attended by the AJK PM and the GB CM, but not the provincial chief ministers. The prime minister had also asked chief secretaries and irrigation secretaries to attend.Sindh’s irrigation minister and secretary warned that Pakistan was already water-deficient and that river flows did not justify a large dam.They added that lower riparians were not receiving enough drinking water under the current situation and that additional dams could aggravate conditions.Therefore, detailed feasibility and economic assessments should be prepared before taking any decision.They also noted that projects developed in urgency in response to Indian actions might not prove to be a bankable solution — perhaps an indirect reference to the Rs500bn Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project that remains mostly out of order.The GB leadership suggested the region should be granted membership of the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) to ensure national representation, or at least observer status to participate in decision-making.The AJK PM said given Kashmir’s status as the source of river flows, it would welcome more dams, storage facilities and hydropower projects. However, he stressed the need for financial incentives so that the Kashmiri population not only took pride in its contributions but also benefitted economically.Punjab fully supported new flood storage projects and offered to sit down with Sindh’s leadership, providing assurances and institutional guarantees to address grievances and reservations.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa demanded that its Chashma Right Bank Canal lift-cum-gravity project be developed at the earliest, noting that the province had been unable to utilise its water share without it. The Wapda chairman assured representatives that tenders had already been issued and that the project would be prioritised.Separately, Wapda is believed to have finalised four medium-sized storages on the Chenab near Jhang, Chiniot, Sargodha and Wazirabad. Estimated to cost around Rs300bn, it would provide a combined storage capacity of about 4.5 million acre feet.Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2026
$60bn Indian plan for river storage raises alarm
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