India must honour Indus water treaty: Pakistan

Unless India honours the Indus water treaty, Pakistan will face a severe water shortage in a few years, a minister warned on Monday.

The treaty, signed with India in 1961, stipulates that the flow from the three western rivers -- Indus, Jhelum and Chenab -- will be for the exclusive use of Pakistan while the three eastern rivers -- Ravi, Sutlej and Beas -- will be for India's use.

Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif said Pakistan wanted to resolve the water issues with India, Dawn online quoted him as saying.

"We will contest our case at an appropriate forum if India encroaches upon our water rights," he said.

The minister said the government would resolve the issue of power cuts within three years. But at the moment, Pakistan was headed towards serious water shortage.

He warned that Pakistan could face a severe drought in some years and said the country was not prepared to handle such a situation.

Water scarcity, he added, was a long-term problem and cannot be resolved in two to three years.