Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said the decision to stop the flow of river water to Pakistan will be taken by the Centre at the highest level.
“The decision to stop the flow of river water to Pakistan will be taken by the Centre at the level of Prime Minister. However, I have ordered my department to prepare a technical design as to how to stop the even legitimate water flow to Pakistan,” Gadkari said.
“If Pakistan will act like this, support terrorism, then what is the point of showing humanity to the country?” the minister asked.
India has decided to "stop" the flow of its share of water to Pakistan from rivers under the Indus Water Treaty, Gadkari said on Thursday, in comments that came over a week after the ghastly Pulwama terror attack killing 40 CRPF personnel.
An official later clarified that it was not a "new decision" and that the Water Resources minister was "simply reiterating" what he has always said.
"Under the leadership of Hon'ble PM Sri @narendramodi ji, Our Govt. has decided to stop our share of water which used to flow to Pakistan. We will divert water from Eastern rivers and supply it to our people in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab," Gadkari tweeted.
The reiteration to stop the flow of Indus water to Pakistan comes amid mounting Indo-Pak tension over the Pulwama terror strike that has triggered demands for action against the neighbouring country. India has already decided to revoke the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan and mounted a diplomatic offensive to isolate it in the international community.
(With inputs from agencies)
