India has been stealing 15 to 20 per cent water from Jhelum and Chenab rivers, causing a yearly loss of $12 billion to the agriculture sector of Pakistan, Engineers Study Forum (ESF) said here on Sunday.
ESF, an independent ThinkTank, and R&D NGO said that in blatant violation of the provision of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and international UN conventions, India is causing huge losses of water from Chenab and Jhelum rivers by constructing dams like Baglihar, Kishanganga, Wollar barrages and Pakal Dul dam and other water diversion projects.
The water experts panel of the ESF strongly called upon the government to lodge claim of economic losses of billions of dollars every year caused by India to Pakistan's agriculture sector before the United Nations, the World Bank and International Court of Justice.
"These legal cases of violation of the Indus Basin Treaty and international conventions should be instituted and vigorously pursued by Pakistani diplomatic-cum-technical and legal team of experts", they added.
They pointed out that the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 provides that after surrendering two rivers Ravi and Sutlej to India, Pakistan shall receive all waters of the three rivers, Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, except for some specified uses of water of these rivers by India, which obviously does not cover diversions or pilferage of the river flows.