In this explainer, we uncover the real story behind the Indus Waters Treaty, and how India’s growing water control projects are creating a silent but deadly crisis for Pakistan.
From David Lilienthal’s 1950 warning to the signing of the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960 by President Ayub Khan and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, this video explains how Pakistan’s dependence on the Indus River system has become its biggest vulnerability.
This video covers:
Why David Lilienthal’s article in Collier’s Magazine changed global water politics What the Indus Waters Treaty (1960) actually says
India’s use of rivers like Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas as strategic tools
Ongoing Indian projects like Kishanganga Dam, Baglihar Dam, and the Rambir Canal expansion
How Modi’s government is planning to double water extraction from Chenab River
Ground realities from Suleimanki Barrage, Head Islam, and Cholistan Desert
The environmental disaster caused by Hudiara Drain and industrial pollution in Ravi and Sutlej Rivers